By Matt Simonette

Staff writer

More than 400 community members attended Lambda Legal’s seventh annual Freedom to Marry Reception Feb. 7 at the National Museum of Mexican Art, 1852 W. 19th St.

C.C. Carter, of the Center on Halsted, was the emcee and explained why she now had stakes in the fight for marriage equality.

“I have always been against marriage,” Carter said. “I’m a lesbian because I never wanted to be married. But on Dec. 25, 2007…my partner got on her knees, presented me with a cluster diamond ring and asked me to marry her.”

“I said ‘yes’ because I love her,” Carter added. “I love her enough to want to include her in all the boring work that I do. (I want her to) listen to the speeches that I make and the unnoticed accomplishments that I’ve done and enjoy the limited success that I have. In essence, I want to weave her into the ordinary mundane details of my daily life.

“We are not business partners. We are more than lovers. There is no language to quite call this setting-up of house that we want to begin—but I still said ‘yes.’”

Carter’s remarks were followed up by bouquet tosses for both the male and female single guests, and a cake cutting. Robert Castillo and John Pennycuff, who were married in San Francisco in 2004 when Mayor Gavin Newsom briefly lifted the ban on gay marriage, sliced the three-tiered wedding cake.

Among those in attendance were state Rep. Greg Harris (D-Chicago), Vernita Gray, of the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, and Dana Starks, incoming chairman of the Chicago Commission on Human Relations.

“It’s wonderful that we can move this event 75 blocks south and still get 400 people tonight,” said Jim Bennett, of Lambda Legal, of the record turnout.

Attendees were encouraged to take a number of steps to propel legislation forward in Springfield allowing civil unions in Illinois.

“As soon as we get (civil unions), we start to work on marriage. Separate but equal is not enough,” Bennett said.