Jack Fritscher and Mark Hemry Civil Union Reception

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 9, San Francisco

The Fritscher Hemry reception, a surprise at EPA Region 9 in San Francisco, took place on July 27, 2000.
This reception followed our July 12, 2000 Vermont civil union, part of our journey from domestic partners to marriage.

Photography by Cheryl Henley and Videography by Marilyn Huey

This Civil Union made equally legal to marriage in Vermont, which was the first state to outlaw slavery, grants all the civil right and privileges of marriage, using in the official documents the exact same wording as the marriage union, substituting the word “Civil Union” for “marriage,” and ending with the phrase “now and forever.”

Congratulations card for Mark and Jack, July 12, 2000

A Federal employee for 23 years, Mark Hemry's Civil Union makes the abstraction "diversity" very personal.

U.S. EPA Region 9 building, 75 Hawthorne Street, San Francisco

At 75 Hawthorne Street, San Francisco, EPA co-workers surprise reception for first Civil Union

The many guests were hosted at the 2 PM reception produced by Stacy Takeda and Cheryl Henley with video by Marilyn Huey

Lured to a "section meeting," a surprised Mark Hemry enters into a cascade of bubbles, confetti, and cheers. "SURPRISE!"

The grooms embrace after 21 years together, Jack and Mark were civilly joined in Vermont on July 12, 2000.

This is the first “out” and sanctioned same-gender kiss in a U.S. Government office.

Having worn formal tuxedos for the actual Civil Union ceremony, 15 days before, the grooms sported Vermont T-shirts with the logo "Our Civil Union 12 July 2000"

From their favorite musical, "Cabaret," the grooms hear the melody of the song, "Somebody Wonderful Married Me"

Two Grooms wedding cake

Following tradition, a 5-pound chunk of chocolate wedding cake was frozen (with its action-figure grooms) to be preserved to celebrate the couples' first anniversary of their Civil Union