Mark Jiminez, Beau Chandler to apply for marriage license to mark Independence Day, say they won’t leave Clerk’s Office until it’s issued
DAVID TAFFET | Staff Writer
taffet@dallasvoice.com
Two local LGBT groups plan to mark Independence Day in distinctly different fashions — one with a sit-in and one with an ice cream social — but both events will spotlight the importance of the freedom to marry.
Mark Jiminez and Beau Chandler plan to get married on Sept. 13, but they’re not leaving anything until the last minute.
Since the Dallas County Clerk’s office is closed on July 4, they’ll stop by the county offices on Thursday, July 5, to apply for their marriage license.
“Unlike my co-workers who went to another state, we’re both Texans and we want to get married here,” Jiminez said.
While other same-sex couples have applied for marriage licenses in Dallas and been turned down in the past, Jiminez and Chandler don’t plan to leave the county clerk’s office until the license is issued.
Jiminez likened his protest to that of Rosa Parks.
“I’m just tired of this,” he said. “I’ve been paying taxes since I was 14. We’re just like everyone else. We just want to get married.”
Michael Diviesti, co-state lead organizer for the direct action group GetEQUAL Texas, said the couple will bring all the items necessary to get a marriage license issued and go through the same process everyone else does.
“They’ll either leave with a license or in handcuffs,” Diviesti said.
He said the Texas constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage actually makes all marriages illegal with wording that the state “may not create or recognize any legal status identical or similar to marriage.”
“Our amendment actually outlaws all marriages,” Diviesti said. “So the county clerk can either give them a license or stop issuing any licenses.”
On Valentine’s Day this year, same-sex couples around the state applied for licenses. In Dallas, after couples were turned down, they left the Dallas County Records Building peacefully. Diviesti accompanied a lesbian couple to the Travis County Clerk’s office. When they were denied a license and refused to leave, they were arrested. Diviesti said GetEQUAL has already raised money for bail for Jiminez and Chandler, if necessary, and has an attorney ready.
“We plan to do these things continuously for the next few years until we get marriage equality,” Diviesti said.
He said he expected to see equality in the next few years as a result of cases challenging California’s Proposition 8 and the federal Defense of Marriage Act that are headed to the Supreme Court.
Diviesti said the sit-in at the County Records Building is open to anyone who would like to support Jiminez and Chandler or other couples who would like to apply for marriage licenses. He said sitting-in and/or being arrested was not necessary to participate.
Jiminez and Chandler plan to apply for their license at 3 p.m.
“We might not get anywhere,” Jiminez said. “But at least we tried.”
If they are taken into custody, this would be the first time anyone in Dallas has been arrested protesting for LGBT rights, although anti-gay protesters have been arrested at gay events, according to longtime local activists.
According to Dallas County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Raul Reyna, the pair will probably be charged with criminal trespass, a class-B misdemeanor. The penalty for that is up to 180 days in jail and a maximum $2,000 fine.
Reyna said county offices close at 4:30 p.m. Once the office closes, everyone must leave, and they will be arrested if they do not.
“It will be a simple deal,” Reyna said.
Three Denton County groups also will mark Independence Day with a freedom to marry theme but in a completely different style. Denton County Stonewall Democrats, Harvest Metropolitan Community Church and PFLAG Denton will hold an ice cream social on July 4 at 2 p.m. according to Stonewall President Joy Pierce.
She said the gathering at Harvest MCC begins early so people have time to get to other outings and fireworks displays. The event will include a Powerpoint presentation that begins with the 1967 Loving v. Virginia ruling that made interracial marriage legal in all states and leads into marriage equality for the gay and lesbian community.
At its Thursday, June 28, meeting, Denton Mayor Mark Burroughs sent a proclamation to Denton Stonewall naming that day LGBT Pride Day in Denton, according to the group’s former president, John McClelland.
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition June 29, 2012.
Too brave men. Many more brave men and women will it take. I congratulate these men for being one of bricks in the wall.
Bravo! Will be with you in spirit!
Good luck guys!
With all due respect, a noble exercise in futility. I suspect any news coverage would tend to be negative, but I could be wrong.
Why not just file suit to prevent ANY marriage licenses being issued due to the wording of the current state law? Do these two guys know just how non-gay-friendly a jail situation might be, even if they’re in there for a short time?
If Dallas is the progressive city that it claims to be, this would provide an excellent opportunity for lawmakers and others in a position of influence and authority to open a dialog with the community about this issue. If nothing happens except for this couple’s arrest, then it will be a very strong statement on behalf of these officials. The statement will be “We don’t care.”
Courage. Thank you. We support you
Brave? Not really. The Dallas County Clerk has nothing to do with the issue. These guys are better off protesting and advocating for marriage equality with state legislators who make the law. Wondering if these guys have ever gone to LGBT lobby day, met with legislators, wrote letters, made calls, voted, got out the vote and the list goes on. Perhaps that would have been a good question for the reporter to ask. What else have you done in addition to this funny exercise?
Dear Not Rosa Parks:The Dallas County clerks office has EVERYTHING to do with this issue because they are the ones that issue the license. If we are denied, we take it to the next level. You obviously do not know me in real life or you would know that I have been taking a vocally and visually taking a stand for Gay Rights since I was 17 years old (1977). I have marched in parades, acted up, met with legislatures, written letters, made phone calls, donated thousands of dollars, marched in every gay pride parade that I have been in the position to do so carrying a sign, I have been interviewed by newspapers and I have called into radio stations. I have been peppered sprayed, turned away, laughed at, and pushed and shoved around long enough.
And I am 100% Brave as is my partner.
And “Not Rosa Parks”…. I am proud enough and honest enough to use and sign my real name.
Sincerely,
Mark ‘Major’ Jiminez
Thanks for the support from most of you. To the others, yes we are involved in several organizations for LGBT equality, lots of fund raising for our community (my partner more than me, and for many more years than I have had the opportunity to be involved). We realize the clerk is not at fault, and the clerk is not the person who can change anything. We want people to get active and get out there and start fighting for the equality we all deserve. Clearly “writing letters” and “calling our representatives” has gone well. This is not about writing a letter to eyes that will not see, or calling ears that will not hear- it’s about making certain this issue stays in the forefront of people’s minds- keeping them thinking and stimulating the dialogue between the 2 sides that will hopefully help all of us as HUMANS realize that we are all not really that different, and we all deserves our basic rights and freedoms. It’s also about the most important thing to me and to Mark- I love him and he loves me and we want to share our lives together. We want our marriage license. Now.
Thank you for your passion and for your courage!
Remember: Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.
This can’t be true, that not one gay person has been arrested ever pushing a gay agenda? Granted, it was a long while ago, but I recall a very active ACT UP chapter back in the early 1990s B.C., before cocktails, and I swear they got arrested for queer and HIV poz people.
And what about the late John Thomas of the Dallas AIDS Resource Center, and his arrest record? He had one, right?
I think the gay couple that is risking arrest over gay marriage is part of a proud tradition of gay Dallas folks engaging in civil disobedience!
By the way, I blogged today about Mary Cheney donating $2,500 to the Romney campaign. Can we call agree we are _over_ her?
Check this out:
https://tinyurl.com/7dslw6j
Best of luck to Mark and Beau!
Michael Petrelis
SF, CA
Good for you Beau. Hope things go well for you both.
Dan
Bravo, guys! The Texas constitutional amendment issue is very interesting! Very smart!
Good thoughts from Austin!
Awesome…keep us posted…my partner and I are moving to the area in a few weeks and it will be amazing to move to a place where people actually take a stand versus the racist homophobic east texas townwe currently reside in…anyone in the area let me know how we can get involved in any organizations please…
Kuddos to you guys taking a stand on Equality, I applaud each and every one of you… You have my full backing support. You guys ROCK!
They were arrested and hauled off in handcuffs to Dallas County Jail. Civil rights will prevail in the end, these guys are my heroes.
Around 4:30pm July 5, 2012, Mark and Beau were indeed arrested after refusing to leave until they received their license. GetEqualTX (https://www.getequaltx.org/) is taking donations to help with legal costs.
Mark and Beau – I am so proud of you! Stay strong!
Very brave of you both, congratulations! Keep up the good fight!
It takes real courage and bravery to come out openly (in Texas), demand equal treatment, AND be willing to stand up for it. Writing letters, voting, and meeting with legislators is also necessary but requires a different kind of courage. Bravo to this couple for doing both!
As the old addage goes…If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything…Both of you stand steadfast in what you believe in! It will go down in the books one day that you both made a difference! Positive thoughts coming your way.
Thanks Lex, I just made a $25 donation to help support these brave and honorable men.
Good! I’m glad they got arrested, only idiots fully well knowing they weren’t going to get far at the bottom of the ladder stick to such an illfated. Mark and Beau, dumba$$es of the year.
Frank Sanchez, you may call others idiots for standing up for what the believe in, but it lacks bite when you can’t construct a sentence that makes any sense.
Good job guys! I support you 100%. I am a straight women but I agree that it is not right to say that same-sex couples may not marry. Equal rights are for everyone No one is better than anyone else. You are two brave men. You are not dumb at all. The only way to make a difference in the world is by taking several small steps. By getting out there and showing the world that you deserve the same rights as everyone else is the only way that anyone is going to stand up and realize that it doesn’t matter if you are straight or gay, equal rights are for everyone. I support you guys. You are truly brave and honorable men.
Dear Mark and Beau,
as an old broad, a Texan, and Dallas resident, I can tell you that most people in this state don’t have a problem with gay people getting married. I wish politicians would know and understand that. May you guys find the happiness you deserve. May you find the recognition that you should have by birth and citizenship very soon. May you never lose faith, and find strength and joy between you. God bless.
I was sent your video from a friend in Augusta, GA (who is also an activist). I *hope* that this is the jolt Dallas needs in the right direction to create change. We have a mutual friend and we are all proud of your efforts. This is not something I will forget and I look forward to seeing a great deal more within the community here in Dallas. Keep your chins high and your hearts strong. Love and Support, Kathryn