US ambassador marries before coming to Oz

US ambassador marries before coming to Oz

US Ambassador John Berry weddingAmerica’s latest ambassador to Australia will be a gay newly-wed after John Berry married his husband Curtis Yee in a ceremony in Washington DC over the weekend.

The couple of 17 years were married at St Margaret’s Episcopal Church on Saturday, August 10. Same-sex marriage has been legal in Washington DC since 2009.

Berry is the fourth openly gay US ambassador but is the first openly gay ambassador to serve in a Group of 20 (G20) nation. Yee, a former lawyer from Hawaii, will join Berry when he travels to Australia to take up his ambassadorship.

The couple confirmed the nuptials in a short statement to the media.

“Music was provided by Dr. Theodore Guerrant and soloist, Christian Hoff. The wedding was attended by family and close friends, including the Secretary Of the Department of Interior, who then celebrated after the service at the home of Mr Yee and Mr Berry,” Berry and Yee said.

Congratulating the newly married couple, Australian marriage equality advocates said the federal government’s refusal to recognise overseas marriages like that of Berry’s will continue to be a source of embarrassment to the country.

“Sadly, they join hundreds of other same-sex couples whose overseas same-sex marriages aren’t recognised under Australian law,” Australian Marriage Equality national convener Rodney Croome said.

“It will be a source of deep embarrassment for many Australians that our law fails to respect the marriage of the chief representative of our closest friend and ally, the United States.”

Croome added that Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s recent promise to legislate for marriage equality by early next year should he win the federal election may give some hope to Berry and those in overseas marriages as well others who hoped to get married.

You May Also Like

One response to “US ambassador marries before coming to Oz”