First same-sex marriage held in Evesham

Linda Key and Susan Brown made history in Evesham Township as the couple said “I do” at their wedding at the Municipal Building Oct. 24.

“No other human ties are more tender and no other vows more important than those you are about to pledge,” Mayor Randy Brown said just before he asked the women if they take each other to be their spouse for life.

Assemblyman Reed Gusciora attended the historic ceremony, as he fought Gov. Christie on the human rights matter.
“It’s important, it means equality,” Gusciora said. “It’s no different than the victories in the ’60s for civil rights.”

New Jersey is the 14th state to legalize gay marriage.

According to Gusciora, Key and Susan Brown will now have federal tax benefits they weren’t afforded before gay marriage was legalized in the state.

“Gay couples, whether you like it or not, can adopt children, they own houses, they pay property taxes like anyone else,” Gusciora said. “I think they should enjoy any benefit that’s out there for them.”

“We just wanted to do this for so long, it’s such a nice thing,” Susan Brown said.

The couple has been together for 14 years and has lived in Evesham for 12 of those years.

“When we bought our house in Evesham, we got a mortgage for 30 years,” Key said. “Susan told me when we got it, ‘now that’s commitment.’”

The couple held a civil union ceremony in 2007 and a domestic partnership before that.

“We did everything we could along the way,” Key said. “This is just amazing.”

The most exciting part of the wedding for the couple — “being equal to everyone else, and not being a second-class citizen,” Key said.

The two are excited to call each other’s families “in-laws” and making their commitment to one another official.
The women are keeping their own last names.

“We’re in our 50s now, I’m afraid we can’t remember it,” Key said jokingly.

The two combine names for Christmas and holiday cards into Brownkey, “we thought since we were old we can keep the same names we have now,” Key said.

“When the state Supreme Court ruled over the weekend, I thought it was and is the right thing to do,” Randy Brown said. “You have to follow what the laws are in the state and that’s what we did.”

Gusciora thinks Christie’s move to drop the appeal against the state Supreme Court was based on national politics.

According to Gusciora, New Jersey was one of the last in the northeast to allow gay marriage. Pennsylvania is the only remaining state in the northeast to not legalize gay marriage, Gusciora said.

“Christie would have been behind marriage equality. I think he knows better, but I think he has his eye on the southern states and the red states,” Gusciora said. “I think in 2016 it won’t be an issue, even in the red states.”

Insincerity in politics may put politicians at the back end of history, Gusciora said.

“I think the mayor is going to be remembered for stepping up, being courageous and embracing civil rights. They’re the true victors,” Gusciora said.

Key and Susan Brown will be holding a separate celebration in the coming months. The two went out to Tarantellas, where the couple held their civil ceremony, to commemorate the historic and happy day.

“I hope this helps other people to be able to do it,” Key said. “We’re just really happy.”