Do you agree or disagree? Personally, I’m on board with same sex marriage. I don’t think love should have boundaries. Banning it is almost as bad as racism.
Anyway, since I’m a business strategist and this blog is about marketing, let’s talk business.
An estimated 18,000 same-sex couples married during the six months when such marriages were legal in California in 2008, and the California Supreme Court later ruled that those marriages would remain valid.
Reported LA Times
August 18, 2010, same sex marriage will be allowed again in California. It will be debated again, I’m certain, but it’s another window of opportunity – for couples and wedding vendors. In this slow economy, wedding vendors are tackling each other for jobs. Imagine how cool it would be to have an extra 3,000 weddings a month in circulation in California.
And since most same sex couples do not have kids, their allowances for celebrations are potentially more. I could be wrong, but that’s just my logic.
We think that Americans will understand that we are people. We lead exciting lives, boring lives. We love our families, our friends, the children. And so, it’s a great day.
Lisa and Anita – married 2008 per CNN
Same sex marriages are also permitted in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, Iowa and New Hampshire.
- If you agree, feel free to share it via Retweet or Facebook buttons below.
- If you don’t, I still love you.
- I would love to hear your thoughts via comments.
- For those who have photographed same sex marriages, how was it? Comment your experience!
Sincerely,
Lawrence Chan
P.S. I live in California and didn’t hear about it until Twitter. I sometimes think I live in a cave. Or is Twitter the new way to get news?
P.P.S. I know, hot topic. Don’t hate me.
I’m just gonna come out and say it- Political and moral debate aside, we could SINGLE-HANDEDLY revive the CA economy by legalizing marijuana and gay marriage. Both are multi-BILLION dollar industries, I bet, and while yes I think the core of the economic problem is crappy government and state pensions, (booo!) …this new business would still help a lot.
I’m NOT claiming that I believe either is right OR wrong. I’m just talking business.
=Matt=
I’m with you, Matt!
I don’t agree with it, but I can’t argue because the government (in this case) is working the way it should: Leaving topics like this in the hands of the state. If the majority of California wants it, it’s their choice. If the majority of another state is against it, then there shouldn’t be a choice for it in that state.
We could get into arguing about it all day long, but I don’t think it’s the same as racism at all. Marriage, since the beginning of time, has been something between a man and a woman. And, since the beginning of time, same sex relationships have been considered immoral. While everybody has immoral tendencies, those who embrace those tendencies have always been considered taboo. If you don’t believe in God or the Bible (or just about any religion for that matter), then obviously this argument has no power against you. But if you do believe in God and the Bible, it should.
Some of the notable issues leading up to the fall of Rome were rapid decline in morals, rampant homosexuality, loss of order, and more. Basically a decline of morals though. When a country is founded on certain principles, and those principles slowly begin to go away, the country starts its decent into history. When moral order declines, certain things start to become “ok” because it becomes more and more acceptable due to desensitization. Then people convince themselves beyond a shadow of a doubt that their sin is ok. That is why today we have websites dedicated to cheating on your spouse, that’s why we have strip clubs on every corner in big cities, that’s why we have married men who see no problem at all with going to these strip clubs and don’t consider it cheating at all. That’s why we have a universal acceptance of a man and a woman living together and having regular sex before marriage so they can “test the waters” before they commit. 50 years ago these things were absolutely unacceptable, today they are normal. Call it what you will, argue if you’d like. To me, it’s just another step backwards for the country.
I totally agree, James.
Marriage is supposed to be a sacred union and many heterosexual couples don’t even have these sacred ceremonies anymore.
But, that’s just my opinion – it’s really up to the state.
Gay or not gay, I love everyone – I just don’t believe in gay marriage but I still respect the gay community for voicing out their opinions.
May the loudest, clearest and most compelling voice win.
Totally agree as well.
Trying to think of something to add but I think you covered it all.
Morals are not pre-existing values that are reasoned into existence. Rather – they are rules that are generated by the consensus of like-minded individuals. Morals ebb and flow like the tide and changes dramatically from generation to generation. Whatever rules and regulations we fight for today, will eventually be undone by the future society that deems it irrelevant – regardless of how moral we believe it to be today. Are we in a state of moral decline? No. Morals do not “improve” or “erode” over time – it simply changes based upon the shifting desires of a given social system. Morals do not exist in some aether of matter nor can it be reasoned by looking at the stars or the trees. It must be taught to you by others who were taught in much the same ways. Thus, our morals, no matter how correct we believe them to be, are accidental – a function of time, geography and circumstance. Had we been born in Mexico circa 3000 BCE, our ideals would be vastly alien to the ideals we hold today. And it would be as right as rain. First contact from the “white man” would not occur for another 4500 years – long after many of our generations had passed away. Would we have been born in the wrong place at the wrong time? I think not.
Also, the fall of Rome was not from “imorality” nor did it really “fall”. Rome was subdivided and sold off over a span of several hundred years as economic hardships (and opportunities) hit the oversized empire. Many mark the subdivision of East and West empires as the begin date of the “fall” but this is not really a “fall”. Its a way to manage vast areas of taxable property. Its also a great way to make money for everyone. Eventually, land will get subdivided into more and more parcels until it becomes too small to divide any further. Calling a subdivision of land a “fall” is like saying Louisiana “fell” after we broke it up into 15 odd states.
Very accurate and very relevant. Good post Lawrence!
So happy to hear this news, it’s bizarre to me that we even have to still have this debate in 2010. Still appalled that my state (NY) didn’t legalize last year.
Haven’t done a same-sex wedding yet, but hope to break into that market eventually. Any tips on getting in front of same-sex couples when you don’t already have any in your portfolio?
I find it bizarre as well.
Same sex or opposite sex, they use virtually the same resources. So make sure whatever those resources are, you’re there.
I think the next thing you can do is take a stand. To be honest, it’s risky for me to make a post like this. I could potentially offend many people. However, I believe in it, so I will commit to it. Start with a post saying that you approve of it :)
I know what you mean…I try to avoid political-type opinion posts and debates. But I feel very strongly about this one and it really makes me sad. Just have too many people that I’ve known who have, or have at some point had, to question whether it’s okay to bring their partner to a work event, or a family holiday celebration, and have to jump through hoops for basic marital rights like visitation, parental status, etc.
Blogging is on hiatus at the moment, getting ready to migrate to WP. Something about this will get in there, though.
I agree with you too Lawrence.
This is 2010, and my personal opinion is, im not going to tell 2 grown adults they cant marry each other because of how other people interpret the Bible. Yes, there are MANY different ways it has been interpreted.
It baffles my mind that regardless of how people feel about it, they feel its their business. Its not. Its a decision between 2 people. So they are the same sex.. shouldnt we be worried about bigger things… pedophiles, murderers, rapists, child abusers, theifs, etc….. all this energy to condemn the way other people live.
I applaud you for speaking your mind being in the public eye. Good for you!
Nice one Lawrence. Interestingly, I too wrote a blog post yesterday about same sex marriages. You can check it out here – http://davidfreund.com.au/blog/?p=678
Why do people care what other people do behind the sheets? People please mind your own business. People discriminate for everything.
As a wedding photographer and as a gay man I am in full support of gay marriages. I will be photographing a wedding for a lesbian couple in Vermont and am very excited to capture the love these two women have for each other.
Can anyone be for keeping marriage as defined between a man and a woman and be accepted in society? If you hold that view should society disregard your position and not respect it?
Lawrence, I agree with you, except on the “almost”. Banning gay marriage IS THE SAME AS RACISM!
I completely agree with you. Business is business, and if more weddings come into your books because of it, then schedule away. As for SSM, I don’t care. I’m a heterosexual. I was born and raised in Puerto Rico in an extremely Catholic family, and I was told that everything would send me downstairs when I passed away. Anyways, the idea of SSM shouldn’t be up to others. I feel that holding someone back from publicly and officially announcing their love for each other is archaic and ignorant. Holding a book in one’s hand and telling someone that they can’t do something because it’s written there is just naive. I hope that one day society will mature and accept that we are a nation built on the principle of living our lives freely and without concern of what others think, especially when it comes to love.
I have photographed one same sex wedding (men), and it was honestly one of the most moving ceremonies I’ve ever witnessed. I don’t know if it’s because they appreciated the ceremony more than most heterosexual couples or what, but it seemed like they put a lot more thought into their ceremony (vs. reception & decor, though that was nice too) than most. It’s just too bad it wasn’t legal here in Texas.
I also photographed a same sex engagement session (women), and they were adorable. Another favorite of mine. :) They got married in Vermont… I wish they would have taken me with them, but I was already booked!
At first I wasn’t sure how to feel about it, because of my (on again, off again) religious background, but in the end I decided that we’re just people, one in the same. I think prejudice is born out of an US vs. THEM mentality… but when you start thinking about others as INDIVIDUALS just like yourself, it’s hard to judge. You know, like, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” :)