LA County Tries To Shut Down Lesbian Wedding, Fails
California may not allow gays legal marriages, but they can still have a kick-ass ceremony. This Saturday, author, activist, performer, and former porn star Annie Sprinkle and longtime partner Beth Stephens will be celebrating their love with an “eco-sexual” wedding at the Farnsworth Park amphitheatre in Altadena.
It’s the pretend lesbian wedding that almost wasn’t. The LA County Sheriff’s department and the LA County Parks and Recreation department tried to shut the wedding down just 2 weeks prior to the event, citing “unsafe conditions.” We’re pretty sure that’s code for “homophobia.” Officials freaked out when they spotted a press release for the ceremony on the local Altadenablog.
Never underestimate the power of the hyperlocal press.
It took a little lawyering by Terry Gross, who serves as General Counsel to Burning Man, but the city has agreed to honor their signed rental contract with the couple. The wedding is on. And about those “unsafe conditions”? Stephens told Altadenablog:
I have friends from high school who are bringing their children. There might be a moment or two that are a little racy, but we’re not going to bring children to harm — that’s a line we won’t cross … we really don’t intend to cause trouble, that’s not our style, but I do think that Annie’s history in the adult entertainment industry played into this fear, and the fact that we are a same-sex couple. No, this will be a family-friendly event.
Hear that, LA County Sheriffs? Bring your kids!
