Love, unconditional and undiscriminating, was in the air March 28 on the quad in front of Danner Hall.
Thanks to the Delta Pride club, students were able to express their love to each other, regardless of gender.
“We had done something like this before and it was something we really wanted to do again, especially considering Prop 8 has been deemed unconstitutional by various courts and its still going through the trial process, and we wanted to show our support to the LGBT community,” said Delta Pride President Brian Wick.
The 12 marriages were unofficial, but the purpose of the event was to show that marriage is a union with only the requirement of two people that wish to devote their lives to one another.
“Marriage is something that should be for everyone because everyone deserves to love and be loved,” Delta Pride member Jaylen Aleksander said.
Those presiding over the ceremonies were equipped with traditional marriage ensembles, which gave the event a more credible feel, even though Holy matrimony was not really being entered into.
Couples signed a marriage certificate and ate a wedding Hostess treat as their cake. They walked down a red carpet to stand in front of an arch decorated with white flowers and balloons. The marrying couple was showered with rice and the “bride” even tossed a bouquet.
The event is part of a series of events leading up to the April 20 Day of Silence event hosted by the club.
On that day, participants will not utter a single word as a tribute to LGBTQ+ teens who have taken their own lives due to bullying.
“Our biggest goal with the Day of Silence is to raise awareness about the bullying, about the harassment, about the hate crimes and about everything that seems to be happening on a more broad spectrum,” said Delta Pride member Jessica Rhoades.