The time has come to honor the celebrations of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and the transgendered
NEWS FLASH!!!!
California counties can issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples beginning June 17,2008,
Rites of passage help people travel through the crucial moments of their lives when a transformation from one state to another occurs, such as birth, puberty, graduation, romance, commitment, anniversary, retirement and death.
Rituals surrounding the key events of a LGBT (lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgendered) need to be respected and addressed in our community.
GayRites: the .NETwork for same-sex rituals
URL: http://www.gayrites.net
GayRites.NET: the .NETwork for same-sex rituals, is devoted to all the rituals of LGBT life, from coming out through marriage to building a life together.
Alexandra, above, officiating a commitment ceremony. Below, speaking at the Freedom to Marry Rally on the steps of the State Capitol in Sacramento on Valentine's Day 2004.
Coming Out Parties
Coming out of the closet and acknowledging an individual's sexual orientation publicly is a huge milestone. Ritual can help to contain and support the highly charged emotions surrounding this event.
Commitment Ceremonies There are many names for this ceremony: Lifelong Commitment, Permanent Partnership, Affirmation Ceremony, Bonding Ceremony, Holy Union, Joining, Covenant of Love....whatever you call it, whether it is legally binding or not, the freedom to publicly recognize the love and commitment two people have for each other has been honored by the straight world for ages and it needs to be the right of everyone.
Rites of Healing Not only is there the struggle of illness and violence, also many gay, lesbian, and bisexuals have experienced exclusion, alienation, and hopelessness.Through ritual we invoke the creative process of empowerment and are made whole.
Memorial Services The LGBT community has become very familiar with death because they have seen the face of AIDS.A final celebration of a loved ones life is a vital step in devotion to the one who is gone and in honoring the grieving process.
