When Donald Trump was first inaugurated in 2017, E.R. Anderson received calls from several queer friends. Anderson is ordained, and his friends had one request of him: officiate their last-minute weddings before Trump took office.
This time around, Anderson wanted to be more proactive. As executive director of the nonprofit Charis Circle, he’ll officiate a mass wedding hosted by Charis Books and More in Decatur on Jan. 19.
This “Matrimony for the People” will be a “sweet and cute” celebration, a moment for joy amidst a time of fear, while fulfilling a pragmatic need for marginalized people.
“It’s a mix of queer and trans folks who are getting married. We also recognize that there are folks who may be getting married for citizenship reasons – another huge fear [with the new administration] is about immigration,” Anderson told Georgia Voice. “We look at marriage, as feminists, as a tool… The state doesn’t actually keep us safe, we keep each other safe, [but] let’s be pragmatic; if there’s any chance that this piece of paper is going to keep us safer, let’s do it.”
Participation is completely free – save for the marriage license, which each couple has to procure themselves – eliminating the steep economic barriers many couples have to overcome to have a wedding that’s more than a courthouse ceremony. There will be a wedding cake, champagne, flowers, gift baskets for the couples, and wedding photos provided by Kara Hunter and Raven Shutley.
The festivities begin at 10:30 a.m. at Charis, 184 S. Candler St. Anderson will officiate a brief vow exchange before toasting to the couples with the community. Guests are encouraged to attend, even if they don’t personally know any of the couples. Seating will be reserved for friends and family, with standing room for the remaining guests.
“We really do welcome the community that want to celebrate these folks to be there,” Anderson said. “We hope folks will come join us and celebrate with us and look at Charis as a resource in Atlanta and the larger Southeast as a place where they can come and get refilled up when they’re feeling depleted.”
Seven couples are confirmed to participate, but there’s still room for couples who can get a marriage license by Jan. 17, as well as married couples who want to renew their vows; you can sign up and find information on filing for a marriage license in Georgia here.
