Civil Union Makes History
October 27, 2005
Easton residents Arthur Wright and Nick Ferkatch didn't
want their civil union ceremony - the first in Easton
history - to have a lot of fanfare.
"After the [law] passed, Nick asked me if I wanted
to have one," said Wright. "I said I would
love it but without all the wedding arrangements."
The first ceremony the two celebrated, on Sept. 12,
1992, "drove me crazy," said Wright. "This
civil union would have to be quick and as simple as
possible."
It was - barely lasting more than 15 minutes on the
morning of Oct. 14. Clarence "Bud" Jennings
presided as Justice of the Peace. After the ceremony,
the couple enjoyed a low-key celebration at Country
Pizza in Monroe.
Wright and Ferkatch have been together for more than
14 years. They met in 1991, shortly before the first
Gulf War.
"When we finally met for dinner on Jan. 15 [1991],
I remember it well because that was the day we invaded
Iraq," said Wright. "I remember it well
because as I was driving to this restaurant, the fog
was so thick I could hardly see the road. And I was
listening to National Public Radio at the time, with
the bombs blasting all over the place."
Wright was about an hour and a half late - but Ferkatch
was still there, waiting. The two moved to Easton
in 1993.
Wright, a native of New York City, is the manager
of Rich Worldwide Travel's Gay and Lesbian Travel
division.
Ferkatch was raised in a small suburb outside Pittsburgh.
He has worked as a computer consultant for more than
30 years.
Ferkatch said he believes the new law gives the idea
of a same-sex union "a bit more authenticity."
"I'm not really looking to be authentic or accepted,
but now that it's here - great," he said. "It's
just beyond my grasp as to why anyone would care whether
it is called marriage or joining or whatever. Some
say they don't believe in it - good for them - but
please don't try to tell me what to believe in or
accept."
Wright, who was raised a strict Roman Catholic, said
the civil union "is a start toward the right
to full marriage."
He characterized the issue as a matter of "civil
rights."
Connecticut became the first state to legally sanction
gay relationships without the involvement of the courts.
Civil unions also are legal in Vermont, and Massachusetts
has gay marriage.
The bill passed the state Legislature by large margins
and was signed by Gov. M. Jodi Rell. The new law gives
gay and lesbian couples the same rights as heterosexual
couples at the state level. The federal government,
however, does not legally recognize the relationships.
Union vs. marriage
The Roman Catholic Church strongly opposed civil unions,
and the state's bishops issued a statement Oct. 1
denouncing the new law.
The statement called civil unions "an assault
on the sacrament and institution of marriage and the
family. This legislation is an attempt to redesign
our society outside of, and in direct contradiction
to, the wisdom of our Creator."
According to the bishops, the new law "equates
civil unions to marriage" despite transparent
attempts to differentiate between the two.
The statement emphasized that marriage was an institution
created by God "for the mutual well being of
the partners and the procreation of children...Civil
unions and same-sex marriages deny children the benefits
and uniqueness that a mother and father bring into
the lives of their children."
State Rep. John Stripp (R-135) said he opposes civil
unions and gay marriage, based on his belief "in
the traditional definition" of family.
Stripp voted against the legislation, but said he
wanted to make clear that he supports expanding the
rights of same-sex couples. He said he simply does
not want to equate same-sex relationships with the
"2,000 year-old-tradition of [heterosexual] marriage."
Rabbi Fred Greene of Congregation B'nai Israel in
Bridgeport, who is active with Connecticut Clergy
for Marriage Equality, has a more positive view.
"This law acknowledges that gay men and lesbians
have the ability and capacity to fall in love and
choose a life partner," he said of civil unions.
"But it was a compromise position, and there's
more work to be done."
Greene said expanding people's rights is never an
easy process, such as with women and people of color
in the past. "This is a transformation of people's
ideas," he said. Greene said a few decades ago,
when he was growing up, he couldn't have imagined
the progress that would be made when it comes to gay
rights.
Civil Union Makes History
