The Defense of Marriage Act was shot down by the US Supreme Court yesterday, meaning that the US government will recognize same sex unions sanctioned by the states where they’re legal. There are currently 12 states that perform same sex marriages along with the District of Columbia. Officials in California say that same sex marriages should resume there (following a separate ruling dismissing the Prop 8 case) within a month. This is excellent news for same sex couples who will finally be afforded the rights they’ve been denied for decades.
In light of this historic ruling, celebrities are celebrating and some are getting engaged! Kristen Bell and Dax Shephard have said for years that they won’t marry until it’s legal for their same sex friends. In light of the DOMA ruling, Kristen proposed to Dax via Twitter. The couple welcomed their first baby, daughter Lincoln, three months ago.
The U.S. Supreme Court’s historic overturning of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) no doubt has many, many American couples making marriage plans — including, perhaps, Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard! The Veronica Mars actress, 32, quickly celebrated the SCOTUS ruling via Twitter. “You’re damn right DOMA is unconstitutional!! #equalitymatters,” she wrote, retweeting a followers’ memorable hashtag, “#defenseofmarriagecansuckit.”
She then addressed Shepard, her fiance of four years and father to her newborn daughter Lincoln, 3 months: “@daxshepard1 will you marry me? Xo #marriageequality #loveislove.” Shepard responded in kind. “DOMA is dead,” he wrote. “Prop 8 is dead. Now let’s bring my big, gay marriage to @IMKristenBell to Life!!!!”
The re-proposal should come as no big surprise to fans of the sloth-loving actress. Speaking about Proposition 8 back in August 2012, she told Larry King she and Shepard, 38, were holding out to wed until marriage was legalized for all. “The reason we’re not rushing to get married is because I don’t feel appropriate taking advantage of a right that’s denied to my [gay and lesbian] friends,” she said.
“I’ll feel more comfortable having a party — or whatever we have, if anything — if half of our friends who are homosexuals [can celebrate] . . It’s just kind of rude to invite everyone to a party for a rite not everyone can hold.”
Aw that’s sweet! That’s one of the nicest explanations I’ve heard for waiting until same sex marriage is legal. Ooh now I’m excited to see the wedding photos. You know who else said they were waiting until same sex marriage was legalized? Brad and Angelina. Just saying.
Of course same sex couples can get engaged and married now too, and one of the first we’re hearing about is Food Network’s “Chopped” host, Ted Allen. (I loved “Chopped”!) Allen announced on Twitter that he’s engaged to his partner of 20 years.
Proud to announce on this historic day that my partner of 20 years, Barry Rice, and I are engaged to be married. 🙂
— Ted Allen (@ChopTedAllen) June 26, 2013
Congratulations to Ted and Barry! My favorite response to this tweet? “#DOMA is Chopped!”
Photo credit: WENN.com and Joshua M. Hoover via Flickr.
Brad and Angelina are safe in waiting – everyone else cannot get married yet. There are still many states that don’t allow it. While these decisions bring progress on that front, we aren’t quite there yet.
BTW Brad said that not Angie I wish media would stop saying Brad and Angie said that.Brad donated to Prop 8.Brad appeared in Prop 8.Brad is marriage equality advocate,not Angie
Prop 8 was the measure that ceased same sex marriages in California. Do you mean Mr. Pitt donated to the Anti-Prop 8 fund and perhaps participated in the No H8 campaign?
Both Angelina and brad have spoken out FOR marriage equality. They both advocate for it….
I am very, very happy with the ruling yesterday, but I do want to add that gay marriage is legal in 12 states, meaning not in 38. There are thousands (more?) of couples who will not be running out to get married because of their geography, financial means, etc. Some are not public in their relationships because they have a real, valid fear of judgment from their families and communities.
Yes, public opinion is changing (thankfully!) But it is not a done deal – tolerance does not equal acceptance. I’m hoping for the rest of the country to jump on the bandwagon.
Yes, DOMA is not completely ruled unconstitutional, just the provisions regarding federal benefits. So many states still disallow same-sex marriage, and do not have to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states.
It’s not everything, it’s true, but this is an incredible move forward. Times have changed for the better since Stonewall.
Cute couple but I don’t get why hetero couples used/ said this? Refuse to get married until everyone can?
It seemed like a cop out to me from getting married, it doesn’t help the cause at all.
If they really wanted to get married they would have no matter what.
Well my neighbor refused to join a country club because his adopted brother who is Black wasnt allowed to join.No Blacks and No Jews allowed
I understand why Bell/Shepherd waited on principle in support of their friends.
I love this couple and can’t wait for the Veronica Mars movie!
(I am such a nerd)
@Kim do they really still have places like that? Is that even legal?? Crazy
The same reason I as a white person would not eat at a restaurant that refused to serve black customers.
Sometimes people care about other people’s rights and not just their own.
I love Kristen Bell, she’s even managed to make me like Dax and that’s no small feat.
I’ve been squealing every time I’ve seen pictures on set from the VM film.
http://www.pajiba.com/seriously_random_lists/these-behind-the-scenes-images-from-the-veronica-mars-movie-will-turn-your-heart-into-marshmallow-fluff.php
Me too! They are so freaking adorable together and I bet they’re baby is the cutest!
Is he a douche or was he? I am not sure I ever held an opinion on him until I saw Baby Mama. Although the movie overall did not fire me up, I thought he was very funny. He delivers a line in the courtroom so well that Mr. Rochester and I quote at least once a week. Also, if you have never read his blog post re: his father’s death, it’s beautiful.
http://daxtumbler.tumblr.com/post/45876994574/my-fathers-horniness
I think she is very cute and they have usually made me smile as a couple.
He was Ted C.’s blind about the comedic actor who would hook up with randoms from myspace, even teenage girls. This was before Kristen Bell though, and who knows if it was true.
ew, ew, ew, ew
can I live in denial?
Just look at pics of Hiddlesworth for 30 mins, you should be fine! 😀
Ted C made a lot of sh!t up. I wouldn’t believe anything he says. For example he would insist that people who were straight were gay
Ted C’s blinds were so full of s**t, spread innuendo but let’s not name names. I got so sick of that crap, teasers and lies most of the time.
I think that’s really cute, and also kind of awesome if they were serious in that, not just saying it for good PR or an excuse not to get married. I love Kristen, and I’ve grown to really like Dax too. Can’t wait for VM movie! The Ryan Hansen casting announcement video on that pajiba link is awesome.
I still can’t believe they named their girl child Lincoln – that is even worse than North.
I like both of them and think they’re cute together, and I respect their decision to not marry until everyone could, but proposing to someone on Twitter? Don’t they live in the same house? Is anything private anymore?
They’ve been engaged for years. It was less a “proposal” than an acknowledgement to the public that they’ll be following through on their engagement now that DOMA and Prop 8 were shot down.
I guess I was fooled by the words, “@daxshepard1 will you marry me? Xo ”
Their fans knew of their plans, the tweets were the “official” asking/follow-thru but it was a forgone conclusion based on all their interviews in the recent past.
Ok.
The SCOTUS, has committed some truly despicable acts in recent history: the gutting of the Voter’s Rights Act and their decision on Citizen’s United have pretty much ended our democracy.
Prop 8 passing in this state made me so ashamed of my beloved state, that I thought I would never recover from it so this goes a ways toward my recovery. Now if we can get Citizen’s United reversed and restrengthen voter’s rights to reverse the horrible damage these activist conservative judges have inflicted. I hope I won’t have to hold my breath . . .
This has no real relevance to gay marriage but whenever Kristen Bell is mentioned, I am morally obligated to post this video of her freaking out over a sloth:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5jw3T3Jy70
You are welcome.
Oh my gosh that was the best ever. She’s adorable.
Ugh seriously…..and these two are not a good looking couple, sorry but he is not cute.
No he isn’t. His strange, sneering lips make him look as if he is in possession of less than all of his marbles.
Eh, looks aren’t everything, if he’s a good guy, with a good heart, who’s good to Kristen and their love-bug, I’m okay with his funny looking face.
I’m as happy as everyone else that DOMA was repealed and I usually adore these two, but I feel like Kristin and Dax are acting kind of tacky in taking this and making it all about them. I guess I’d equate it to proposing marriage at someone else’s wedding.
Unpopular opinion, I know.
Thank you!!! When I first read this I rolled my eyes. I really don’t understand doing it on Twitter? No offense to them, but yesterday wasn’t about you, YOU chose not to get married to support gay marriage(which is great!) but you always had the choice. Why try and take away from those who did not have the option to marry until yesterday?
*Hands Marty a beer*
Exactly. If they’d waited a few days and then said “hey, we’re gonna do this now that all of our friends can”, I wouldn’t find it as callous (but they’d still lose points posting it all over twitter. Ugh). They’d already made public why they weren’t getting married, but this decision in no way affects whether or not they could or couldn’t get married to begin with.
*cheers!* Well said! I agree with all of this^.
annoying little girl with mental issues.. go away..
Love KB!
(ROLLING EYES)
Look, as a gay man, I am THRILLED that DOMA was finally, and rightfully, shot down. People should be able to marry whomever they want to, period.
But these two? Just another example of how celebrities seem to make EVERYTHING all about them, 24/7!!
I’m surprised to read bitchy comments about “celebrities” making it all about them, if it weren’t for celebrities squawking this issue might have been shoved back in the closet. Celebrities have had a lot to do with changing attitudes and encouraging acceptance. Rather than criticizing something that seems rather insignificant, such as a tweet, why don’t you just celebrate the amazing progress this decision represents. Straight people have just as much right to celebrate this decision as gay people. It’s ridiculous to suggest that those of us who fought for this have less of a right to celebrate our victory because we’re straight.
I think they waited till the people in their lives could also get married. Since they live in California and prop 8 was overturned then they waited till they said they would.