Yes, its’ official. We’re engaged! She proposed on her birthday. It was a warm fall afternoon on Mt Skinner overlooking the valley. We felt totally insulated from the outside world: quiet, calm and clear.
As happy as it may be, queer engagements are a trepidatious matter. Our crowd isn’t exactly traditional, so they certainly didn’t get too excited. We were pleased that we got a ‘congrats’ rather than a lecture. And our families run the gamut as far as acceptance. Overall it’s been a quiet affair, no one has really seemed to notice the ring, believe it or not. Our families seem happy, and if they aren’t I don’t think they would tell us which, I suppose, is the real blessing. But it’s hard to not share in the joy with those you love.
It feels particularly bittersweet in light of recent legislation, and notable admissions by politicians about gay marriage. I’d almost forgotten, living in Northampton (our liberal bubble), that queer marriage is still radical. Here, it’s largely considered passé.
But, we were sure about each other from the moment we came together, so for us it doesn’t seem so sudden or subversive. So, for now, we’ll patiently wait for the rest of the world to catch up.
