Archive Version of
Partners Task Force for Gay and Lesbian Couples
Online from 1995-2022

Demian and Steve Bryant originally founded Partners as a monthly newsletter in 1986. By late 1990 it was reformatted into a bi-monthly magazine. Print publication was halted by 1995 when Demian published Partners as a Web site, which greatly expanded readership.

In 1988, the Partners National Survey of Lesbian & Gay Couples report was published; the first major U.S. survey on same-sex couples in a decade.

In 1996, Demian produced The Right to Marry, a video documentary based on the dire need for equality that was made clear by the data from the survey mentioned above. The video featured interviews with Rev. Mel White, Evan Wolfson, Phyllis Burke, Richard Mohr, Kevin Cathcart, Faygele benMiriam, Benjamin Cable-McCarthy, Susan Reardon, Frances Fuchs, Tina Podlodowski, and Chelle Mileur.

Demian has been the sole operator during the last two decades of Partners.

Demian stopped work on Partners Task Force in order to realize his other time-consuming projects, which include publishing the book “Operating Manual for Same-Sex Couples: Navigating the rules, rites & rights” - which is now available on Amazon. The book is based on the Partners Survey mentioned above, his interviews of scores of couples, and 36 years of writing hundreds of articles about same-sex couples. It’s also been informed by his personal experience in a 20-year, same-sex relationship.

Demian’s other project is to publish his “Photo Stories by Demian” books based on his more than six decades as a photographer and writer.


Partners Task Force for Gay & Lesbian Couples
Demian, director    206-935-1206    demian@buddybuddy.com    Seattle, WA    Founded 1986

Menu
Notable Events Legal Marriage Essays Legal Marriage Data Ceremonial Marriage Domestic Partnership
Legal Necessities Relationship Tips Immigration Couples Chronicles Parenting
Inspiration Orientation Basics Surveys Resource Lists Citation Information
Welcome (About) Your Host Copyright Policy Link Policies Search Site

Canadian Suits for Legal Marriage
Elaine Vautour and Anne Vautour
© 2003, Partners


On January 14, 2001, two same-sex couples were legally married in a joint service before 1,000 people at Metropolitan Community Church (MCC) of Toronto using the ancient Christian tradition of the banns. Elaine Vautour married Anne Vautour, and Kevin Bourassa married Joe Varnell. The officiant was Brent Hawkes.

The Canadian government has illegally refused to honor these marriages with a legal marriage license. The province of Ontario was sued by Metropolitan Community Church Toronto on January 19, 2001, to recognize the marriages.

The following affidavit is from the female couple who were married.

Affidavit of Elaine Vautour and Anne Vautour
Court File No. 39/2001
ONTARIO SUPERIOR COURT OF JUSTICE (Divisional Court)
BETWEEN:
METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY CHURCH OF TORONTO
Applicant
-and-
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF CANADA
and
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF ONTARIO
Respondents
AFFIDAVIT OF ELAINE VAUTOUR and ANNE VAUTOUR

We, ELAINE VAUTOUR and ANNE VAUTOUR, of the City of Toronto, in the Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto, MAKE OATH AND SAY:

1. We are members of the congregation of the Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto (MCCT). We have been attending the church since 1992 and 1997 respectively.Elaine was consecrated a Deacon of the church on December 12, 1999 and is currently a student of theology.

2. We met on August 15, 1998 on Strawberry Island at a church retreat that was facilitated by MCCT.

3. We have lived together as common-law spouses since June of 1999.

4. Anne changed her last name to Vautour in March of 2000.

5. We wished to be legally married, but did not believe that marriage was available to same sex couples in Ontario. We knew that MCCT performed Holy Union ceremonies for same sex couples that were akin to marriage in the eyes of the church.

6. On August 12, 2000, we participated in a Holy Union ceremony at the Bloor Street United Church.Reverend Mary Joseph of Christos Metropolitan Community Church conducted the ceremony. We invited our friends and family to share in the celebration.

7. In December 2000, we learned of the publication of banns process. We informed MCCT staff that we were interested in being legally married.

8. We planned to be married on January 14, 2001 in a double marriage ceremony with Joe Varnell and Kevin Bourassa (“Joe and Kevin”), who were also members of the MCCT congregation.

9. Reverend Hawkes read our banns of marriage, and those of Joe and Kevin at MCCT during regular Sunday services on December 10th, 17th and 24th. No lawful objections were made to the proposed marriages.

10. We were married along with Joe and Kevin on Jan. 14, 2001 at MCCT. Our friends and families attended at the ceremony.

11. Our marriages were entered in the marriage register maintained by MCCT. We completed the forms required where couples are married under the authority of banns.

12. Prior to our forms being sent to the Registrar General for registration, we learned from the media that the Minister of Consumer and Commercial Relations had stated that the Province of Ontario would not permit the registration of our marriage.Reverend Hawkes sent in our forms in any event.

13. We wish to have our marriage registered with the Registrar General for Ontario for many reasons. We believe that we have the freedom to choose whom to marry. We want to be recognized as a legally married couple.

14. We believe that prohibiting marriage to same sex couples is discriminatory on the basis of sex and sexual orientation. We want to be treated equally as citizens of Canada.

15. We want to have the same legal status as other married couples. We want to be able to make medical and financial decisions on one another’s behalf without resorting to a Power of Attorney should one of us become incapacitated.

16. We have drafted Wills in order to protect ourselves should one of us predecease the other. If our marriage were legally recognized, this would not be necessary in the event of a death.

17. In order to enjoy the legal rights and benefits of marriage, we would have to live together in a common-law relationship for a certain period of time. Legally married heterosexual couples automatically have legal rights as soon as they are married.

18. We love one another and are happy to be married. We highly value the love and commitment to our relationship that marriage implies. Our parents were married for over 40 and 50 years respectively, and we value the tradition of marriage as seriously as did our parents.

SWORN before me at
the City of Toronto, in the
Province of Ontario,
on the 24th day
of January, 2001. ____________________
                              ELAINE VAUTOUR

A Commissioner for Taking Affidavits

SWORN before me at
the City of Toronto, in the
Province of Ontario,
on the 24th day
of January, 2001. ____________________
                              ANNE VAUTOUR

A Commissioner for Taking Affidavits



Return to Canadian Suit for Legal Marriage


Return to: Partners: Table of Contents

© 2022, Demian
None of the pages on this Web site may be reproduced by any form of reproduction without
permission from Partners, with the exception of copies for personal, student, and
non-commercial use. Please do not copy this article to any Web site.
Links to this page are welcome.