Jason Mraz and his fiancee Tristan Prettyman got engaged back in December, but that doesn’t mean that he plans to marry her any time soon.
The singer/songwriter attended Elton John’s benefit for equal rights over the weekend and told Us Weekly that he and Tristan wont plan a wedding until all couples, gay or straight, are legally allowed to wed. Jason said, “We both feel that in our engagement, we have a union that’s really special and cant be broken. It’s a sacred bond. The wedding would be nice for our family, our friends, our community — our moms especially — and so it puts us in the fight. We can’t get married until [gay] marriage is legal and equal…I think giving people the right to marry will be a huge movement in civil rights.”
I can’t decide if this is really cool of them or kind of beside the point considering no one’s waiting for Jason Mraz to get married to make a ruling on gay marriage. The couple can easily continue to stay in the fight for equality while legally bound to one another, advocating as a married couple for those who can’t share their joy. Then again, civil rights are historically the kinda thing you need to throw down some drama to make happen.
What do you think?
It sounds like an easy way out for someone to not get married.
Had to take it to the next level but isn’t really ready. Keep her interested and still hooked.
I hope gay marriage laws pass sooner but unfortunately, I believe it will be a while before it happens. :(
Bollocks. That’s a lame-arse excuse not to get married. I think a few celebrities here and there are not strong enough to change legislators’ view, gay rights and gay marriage supporters need to think of actually effective actions that will change people’s mindsets. Thinking, “oh Jason Mraz or Brad Pitt won’t get married until gay people can” isn’t going to change people’s minds in such an emotional issue.
Cop out…
“We both feel that in our engagement, we have a union that’s really special and cant be broken. It’s a sacred bond. The wedding would be nice for our family, our friends, our community…”
This is the same reason that anti-gay marriage people say that gay people don’t have to get “married..” “Can’t they just BE together? Why can’t they just have a civil union?”
Ain’t no “sacred bond” but marriage.. that’s why the gays want it so badly.
I am calling shenanigans and his girlfriend should leave him for a dude who actually wants to marry her.
In my opinion, this decision is really cool of them.
I think he’s making a valid point.
Why is everyone hating on him?
The decision to get married is between the two people involved. No one else. They wouldn’t be engaged if they didn’t love and care about each other. So, if equality when it comes to legal marriage is something that is important to them, then good for them for standing up for what they believe in.
I don’t see this as a cop out, or Mraz trying to stall things.. and I certainly don’t understand why his “fiance” should leave him.. she’s obviously part of this decision to wait as well.
Good for them. More people should be taking a stand like this.
I agree. People need to stop hating. I think it’s wonderful that him and his fiancee are doing this. People say it won’t have an impact, and perhaps it won’t. But I bet all of his family and friends who wants to see his wedding might start to think “hey, maybe i should think about gay marriage, and vote for it and against any further prop 8 type bills.” I mean, maybe they won’t. But I bet they will be at least a little more likely to do so, than if Jason and Tristan didn’t do this. Besides, imagine if thousands or hundreds of straight couples waited to get married for this reason. THAT would have an impact.
Uh. Cute, but so misguided.
I feel like people have asked Dan Savage about this a lot:
http://www.nerve.com/advice/savage-love/savage-love-should-we-get-married-even-though-our-gay-friends-cant
(Not that Dan Savage is the Patron Gay who all guilty liberal heterosexuals turn to for permission to embark on guiltily heteronormative things, but — oh. Wuh-oh.)
Aww, come on, you guys. Remember Queer as Folk, when Michael and Ben wanted to get married so they went to Canada, but the U.S. was like “doesn’t matter, it’s not legit here,” and then Deb’s boyfriend proposed and she was all “yeah, but I’m not getting married until my son can get married,” and it was the sweetest thing? It’s the sweetest thing. Leave poor little Jason Mraz alone.
i think brad & angie said it first, BUT i don’t think mraz is using it as a cop out. i don’t think any of these people think their decision to not get married will change legislature, but it can make people aware of how unjust prohibiting gay people to marry is and how many people are supporting equal rights. i hope this trend spreads. i’m not a celebrity and i feel exactly the same way. why get married when everyone can’t? it kind of sullies the sanctity of marriage for me to know it’s being used as a weapon against gay people.
It’s like a ”cindarella” story:)
The irony is I know many gay men who don’t WANT to have the option of marriage available because then they would be expected to particiapte and they’d have to face their committment issues they’ve been able to hide this whole time. Much like Jason Mraz seems to be hiding behind this cause to support his own phobias. Also, Angelina Jolie said she’d be open to marriage if her kids wanted her to get married….so what happened to the support for this cause? Oh…it went out the door when her needs were no longer being met by supporting a cause for her own purposes. LOL…why shouldn’t gays and lesbians have to face committment issues regarding marriage like the rest of us! It’s not fair. :D
How about focusing on science, engineering, and manufacturing and not worry about this crap until we have so much money rolling around us we can pay attention to this tripe?
Until then….
“Jason Mraz Won’t Marry His Fiancee Until Gay Couples Can Do The Same” – So he isn’t going to marry his fiancee until gay couples can marry his fiancee? LOL.
This reminds me of when we used to drive by cemeteries and pick our feet up off the floorboard whilst simultaneously holding our breath because “since the dead couldn’t breath or walk, we didn’t want to make them jealous…we need to make them think we’re just like them…” Did anyone else do this?
Yeah, we figured out that it didn’t make us any happier and it was more beneficial to do what made us happy as an example for why it’s so important to breath. Likewise, I think getting married would a great example for why the union is so necessary. The relationship is definitely enhanced when there is a ceremonial, legal, recognized union.
Anonymous- just because some gay men don’t want marriage doesn’t ,mean that is how everyone in the gay community feel,s its about having the option to. They would still have the freedom not to get married but it would provide equal rights for EVERYONE. I know I would love to be able to marry the girl I love (yes I am also female) and have the same rights as my parents have.
I think its really cool what they are doing, its just a small step and they want to show that they care for the gay community and its not a cop-out for their relationship. I hope one day lesbians and gays can marry the people the love.