By Beth Goodbaum
This Valentine’s Day, University law students united to raise awareness of marriage rights for gay and lesbian couples. Members of the People Representing the Interests of Sexual Minorities (PRISM), staged a ceremonial “wedding event” in commemoration of the day of love with a chocolate wedding cake, which was estimated to cost over $1,000.
The event, which took place in the Student Commons room of the law school, was also a tribute to State Supreme Court Justice Doris Ling-Cohan’s ruling that says a law banning same sex marriage is in violation of the state constitution.
Joey McGee, a first year University law student, was among the participants for the event.
“I think it’s important to bring awareness and visibility to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) issues, especially on this day,” she said.
McGee, among approximately 50 members of PRISM in the law division, explained that the group is in the process of uniting the campus with sexual minority concerns.
Sheila Hatami, president of PRISM, dressed in a tuxedo for the occasion and emphasized the importance of marriage rights. At the event Hatami distributed researched information on the benefits and obstacles facing same-sex couples.
According to PRISM, 3.1 million Americans are currently in gay or lesbian relationships. A large number are looking to get married to protect the children they are raising and for the benefit of their own health. Through marriage, same sex couples are allowed social security benefits and the right to make medical decisions. Some obstacles include the fact that gay and lesbians are not eligible for family leave at work when their partner gets sick. In addition, same-sex couples are forced to pay taxes on property they inherit from partners, regardless of the time they were together.
“It’s important to educate the student population about why marriage within the gay community is an important right to have,” Hatami said.
An exclusive Dortini wedding cake was the centerpiece of the event that students could pay $1 to taste. The delectable cake, decorated with red hearts and gold leaves, was donated by the Dortoni Bakery & Pastry Shoppe of Levittown. The bakery is well known for their pricey, but delicious cakes served at many of New York’s exclusive occasions. Mario Santoro, the chef who created the cake, said it took over four hours to prepare.
“The owner, Lello Messina, is a kind person who feels strongly about giving back to the community,” Janet Ben-ami, who was involved with the donation, said.
Jonathan Shigemura, a first year law student and a member of PRISM, said over all the Valentine’s Day event was a success.
“This was set up to be a fun day and it appealed to a lot of different students involved within the law school,” he said, adding that many students not involved in PRISM offered to volunteer for the occasion. “We accomplished a number of awareness goals and everyone had fun.”