County clerks in California are flabbergasted at the rush to change marriage forms in that state from “Party A” and “Party B” to “Bride” and “Groom” and then back again.
In accordance with a recent Supreme Court decision that ruled that gender-neutral is the way to go–all forms in CA after January 1–will be gender-neutral regardless. But it turns out that some soon-to-be wed couples in a few counties in California are raising a fuss about having to be identified as a “party” rather than good-old bride or groom. As a result, forms are being switched around.
What is inexplicable to me is how, at the happiest time of these couples lives, they should care one iota whether one a county marriage form they are identified as Mr and Mrs. Claus or Bride and Groom or Party A and Party B. In the days, weeks or months before your marriage would hardly seem to be the time to be arguing about a political statement or to be fussing over denying other couples their right either to be Parties A and B or Bride and Groom.
The whole fight seems ridiculous to me, a huge waste of resources, and a continued debate of a unjustifiable civil rights violation that California has sought to discontinue. So let us have all couples–gay or straight or any other persuasion sign the forms as they are–as parties and end this silly fight.
Summer Johnson, PhD