There was nothing extraordinary about the marriage of Samantha and Meghan Armes this February in the chapel at Lake Forest College. It was special — in the way all weddings should be.
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The reality of two women exchanging vows at wedding ceremonies wasn’t possible in Illinois a year ago, but gay and lesbian weddings have become more commonplace statewide since the Legislature approved same-sex marriage.
At the same time, it is still something of a new experience for many.
“It’s been nearly a year since marriage equality became law in Illinois, but I think this was the first same-sex wedding any of our guests had attended,” said Samantha, a Grayslake native. “My wedding was the first same-sex wedding I had ever attended. We’re still new, and people are still figuring out how to talk to us.”
The happy couple received one of 241 same-sex marriage licenses that have been issued by the Lake County Clerk’s Office since the state’s Marriage Equality Law took effect June 1. The office also has converted 111 civil unions to legal marriages, County Clerk Carla Wycoff said.
“I was nervous, but everything seemed to go smoothly,” Meghan said of their visit to the clerk’s office to apply for their marriage license. “Nobody even batted an eye.”
Samantha, who now lives with Meghan in Chicago, said she’s generally pleased with how the issue is playing out nationwide, but is still worried about some aspects.
“I am looking forward to the day when marriage equality is law nationwide, and I am extremely grateful that my relationship is recognized and protected,” she said. “I believe that our culture is quickly shifting toward acceptance of LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) people and relationships.”
Despite that, Samantha cautioned that “our country has a long way to go before LGBT people are truly equal. (They) are still more likely to be homeless and more likely to commit suicide and do not have protection from employment and housing discrimination nationwide.”
“It is still a hostile world for us,” she added.
Meghan said she hopes people don’t look at her marriage as a novelty. She was happy to find that her co-workers at a new job in Chicago took it in stride when she came out to them.
“Everyone was cool,” Meghan said. “My co-workers threw me a party for our wedding.”
In its record-keeping, the Lake County Clerk’s Office doesn’t differentiate between heterosexual and same-sex marriage licenses. Clerk Wycoff agreed to review records at the request of The News-Sun.
Civil unions for both same-sex and heterosexual couples have been legal in Illinois since June 2011. They carry all of the same rights and responsibilities as marriages and are also dissolved the same way as marriages, Wycoff said, but clearly many same-sex couples want the full recognition that marriage carries.
Prior to taking office as clerk, Wycoff worked for the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office, where she tracked the legislation leading up to its passage . She said the clerk’s office was kept up to date and ready for the transition.
Wycoff said she still watches the issue nationally and doesn’t expect a backslide.
“Clearly the majority of states have same-sex marriage,” she said. “It’s very much the trend.”
Twitter @JimNewton5