hi guys I’m Emily and I’m going to talk to you guys today growing up I never
to you guys today growing up I never
to you guys today growing up I never assumed that some people might think my
assumed that some people might think my
assumed that some people might think my family as different we lived in an
family as different we lived in an
family as different we lived in an ordinary house in an ordinary
ordinary house in an ordinary
ordinary house in an ordinary neighborhood and did ordinary things
neighborhood and did ordinary things
neighborhood and did ordinary things like ordering pizza every Sunday for
like ordering pizza every Sunday for
like ordering pizza every Sunday for dinner
sometimes I would get questions saying
sometimes I would get questions saying hey Emily why don’t you have a dad and I
hey Emily why don’t you have a dad and I
hey Emily why don’t you have a dad and I would just respond I don’t and most kids
would just respond I don’t and most kids
would just respond I don’t and most kids don’t push it farther than that I had
don’t push it farther than that I had
don’t push it farther than that I had two moms and that was that as I got a
two moms and that was that as I got a
two moms and that was that as I got a little older I kind of got to understand
little older I kind of got to understand
little older I kind of got to understand what being gay might mean and I also
what being gay might mean and I also
what being gay might mean and I also came to understand what other kids might
came to understand what other kids might
came to understand what other kids might mean when they say oh that’s so gay so
mean when they say oh that’s so gay so
mean when they say oh that’s so gay so having that association with the word
having that association with the word
having that association with the word gay I kind of became withdrawn with
gay I kind of became withdrawn with
gay I kind of became withdrawn with telling people that I had two moms
telling people that I had two moms
telling people that I had two moms I was worried what people might think of
I was worried what people might think of
I was worried what people might think of my family and selfishly what they might
my family and selfishly what they might
my family and selfishly what they might think of me one day in the playground in
think of me one day in the playground in
think of me one day in the playground in fourth grade a girl came up to me and
fourth grade a girl came up to me and
fourth grade a girl came up to me and asked Emily are your parents gay and I
asked Emily are your parents gay and I
asked Emily are your parents gay and I didn’t take that well I assumed that she
didn’t take that well I assumed that she
didn’t take that well I assumed that she was asking out him Alice and I ran off
was asking out him Alice and I ran off
was asking out him Alice and I ran off crying and I’m sure she was just asking
crying and I’m sure she was just asking
crying and I’m sure she was just asking out genuine curiosity but still it may
out genuine curiosity but still it may
out genuine curiosity but still it may mean withdraw even more about who my
mean withdraw even more about who my
mean withdraw even more about who my parents were
parents were
parents were but my mom’s on the other hand they
but my mom’s on the other hand they
but my mom’s on the other hand they never held back they would attend
never held back they would attend
never held back they would attend parent-teacher conferences together they
parent-teacher conferences together they
parent-teacher conferences together they would sign my permission forms for field
would sign my permission forms for field
would sign my permission forms for field trips at both my mom’s they would go to
trips at both my mom’s they would go to
trips at both my mom’s they would go to PTA meetings and present themselves as
PTA meetings and present themselves as
PTA meetings and present themselves as Emily’s moms and they were always just
Emily’s moms and they were always just
Emily’s moms and they were always just much braver than me my husband si had to
much braver than me my husband si had to
much braver than me my husband si had to come to an end at some point and that
come to an end at some point and that
come to an end at some point and that was when my two mothers joined Tim
was when my two mothers joined Tim
was when my two mothers joined Tim Bostick and Tony London as plaintiffs in
Bostick and Tony London as plaintiffs in
Bostick and Tony London as plaintiffs in the case Bostick V Rainey which was the
the case Bostick V Rainey which was the
the case Bostick V Rainey which was the marriage equality case in Virginia we
marriage equality case in Virginia we
marriage equality case in Virginia we had our first press conference on
had our first press conference on
had our first press conference on September 16th in 2013 in Washington DC
September 16th in 2013 in Washington DC
September 16th in 2013 in Washington DC and luckily I didn’t have to speak at it
and luckily I didn’t have to speak at it
and luckily I didn’t have to speak at it but it was still really daunting
but it was still really daunting
but it was still really daunting experience to stand in front of all
experience to stand in front of all
experience to stand in front of all these TV cameras and just present our
these TV cameras and just present our
these TV cameras and just present our lives out to everyone
lives out to everyone
lives out to everyone our first hearing was on February 4th in
our first hearing was on February 4th in
our first hearing was on February 4th in 2014 it was a really cold morning in
2014 it was a really cold morning in
2014 it was a really cold morning in Norfolk Virginia and I felt really
Norfolk Virginia and I felt really
Norfolk Virginia and I felt really awkward and stupid because of course I’d
awkward and stupid because of course I’d
awkward and stupid because of course I’d forgotten my coat and all I had to wear
forgotten my coat and all I had to wear
forgotten my coat and all I had to wear was my basketball sweatshirt so I was
was my basketball sweatshirt so I was
was my basketball sweatshirt so I was already on edge and as we were walking
already on edge and as we were walking
already on edge and as we were walking to the courthouse we turned the corner
to the courthouse we turned the corner
to the courthouse we turned the corner and suddenly I saw them it was a huge
and suddenly I saw them it was a huge
and suddenly I saw them it was a huge mob of protesters suddenly I wasn’t so
mob of protesters suddenly I wasn’t so
mob of protesters suddenly I wasn’t so worried about my sweatshirt anymore they
worried about my sweatshirt anymore they
worried about my sweatshirt anymore they held signs saying history proclaims that
held signs saying history proclaims that
held signs saying history proclaims that children do better with a mom and a dad
children do better with a mom and a dad
children do better with a mom and a dad and I was just hurt by these signs these
and I was just hurt by these signs these
and I was just hurt by these signs these people didn’t know who we were they
people didn’t know who we were they
people didn’t know who we were they don’t know my family my moms are too
don’t know my family my moms are too
don’t know my family my moms are too loving caring people and just thinking
loving caring people and just thinking
loving caring people and just thinking that that’s what they believed I just
that that’s what they believed I just
that that’s what they believed I just knew I had to speak out and I had the
knew I had to speak out and I had the
knew I had to speak out and I had the chance to do that at the following press
chance to do that at the following press
chance to do that at the following press conference after our fourth circuit
conference after our fourth circuit
conference after our fourth circuit hearing which was in April I think sorry
hearing which was in April I think sorry
hearing which was in April I think sorry I was terrified my hands were shaking I
I was terrified my hands were shaking I
I was terrified my hands were shaking I was sweating I was a mess and I stepped
was sweating I was a mess and I stepped
was sweating I was a mess and I stepped it to the mic and I was just so
it to the mic and I was just so
it to the mic and I was just so overwhelmed with everything but I knew
overwhelmed with everything but I knew
overwhelmed with everything but I knew that it was really important that I had
that it was really important that I had
that it was really important that I had to do this I had to speak for not only
to do this I had to speak for not only
to do this I had to speak for not only my family but other families like mine
my family but other families like mine
my family but other families like mine out there and for myself
out there and for myself
out there and for myself there were high-ranking government
there were high-ranking government
there were high-ranking government officials there were dozens of news
officials there were dozens of news
officials there were dozens of news cameras but it was important to get this
cameras but it was important to get this
cameras but it was important to get this message one of the most controversial
message one of the most controversial
message one of the most controversial issues of our time out to the world and
issues of our time out to the world and
issues of our time out to the world and show that it’s ok our family is normal
show that it’s ok our family is normal
show that it’s ok our family is normal we are just like any other family I was
we are just like any other family I was
we are just like any other family I was relieved once my speech was ended but I
relieved once my speech was ended but I
relieved once my speech was ended but I also felt empowered by speaking about
also felt empowered by speaking about
also felt empowered by speaking about what was important for me our 13 month
what was important for me our 13 month
what was important for me our 13 month journey came to an end
journey came to an end
journey came to an end on October 6 2014 my mom texted me
on October 6 2014 my mom texted me
on October 6 2014 my mom texted me during class and I promise it was a
during class and I promise it was a
during class and I promise it was a class I was allowed to have my phone out
class I was allowed to have my phone out
class I was allowed to have my phone out in I’m not a bad student
in I’m not a bad student
in I’m not a bad student but she texted me and it said we won and
but she texted me and it said we won and
but she texted me and it said we won and I was confused I didn’t know what that
I was confused I didn’t know what that
I was confused I didn’t know what that meant but a follow-up text clarified
meant but a follow-up text clarified
meant but a follow-up text clarified things she said Supreme Court denied
things she said Supreme Court denied
things she said Supreme Court denied cert on all cases previous ruling stands
cert on all cases previous ruling stands
cert on all cases previous ruling stands the marriage equality in Virginia I was
the marriage equality in Virginia I was
the marriage equality in Virginia I was shocked that was a pretty exciting
shocked that was a pretty exciting
shocked that was a pretty exciting moment but I didn’t exactly know what
moment but I didn’t exactly know what
moment but I didn’t exactly know what would happen next
would happen next
would happen next apparently there was plans in motion
apparently there was plans in motion
apparently there was plans in motion already my parents were going to renew
already my parents were going to renew
already my parents were going to renew their vows they had been married already
their vows they had been married already
their vows they had been married already in California in 2008 outside the John
in California in 2008 outside the John
in California in 2008 outside the John Marshall courthouse in Richmond Virginia
Marshall courthouse in Richmond Virginia
Marshall courthouse in Richmond Virginia same-sex couples had been getting
same-sex couples had been getting
same-sex couples had been getting married there all afternoon since the
married there all afternoon since the
married there all afternoon since the decision had been dropped and of close
decision had been dropped and of close
decision had been dropped and of close friend of ours now the Attorney General
friend of ours now the Attorney General
friend of ours now the Attorney General Mark herring was going to be officiating
Mark herring was going to be officiating
Mark herring was going to be officiating their wedding so it was a very exciting
their wedding so it was a very exciting
their wedding so it was a very exciting moment now I’m not one to express my
moment now I’m not one to express my
moment now I’m not one to express my deeper emotions I I don’t like to do
deeper emotions I I don’t like to do
deeper emotions I I don’t like to do that in public very much but sometimes
that in public very much but sometimes
that in public very much but sometimes there are times when you can’t hold back
there are times when you can’t hold back
there are times when you can’t hold back what you’re feeling inside and seeing my
what you’re feeling inside and seeing my
what you’re feeling inside and seeing my two moms right in front of me
two moms right in front of me
two moms right in front of me proclaiming their love to everyone in
proclaiming their love to everyone in
proclaiming their love to everyone in the world see I just became overwhelmed
the world see I just became overwhelmed
the world see I just became overwhelmed a sob just rose up and overtook me and
a sob just rose up and overtook me and
a sob just rose up and overtook me and suddenly I was crying in front of
suddenly I was crying in front of
suddenly I was crying in front of everyone and it was a little
everyone and it was a little
everyone and it was a little embarrassing but overall it was a really
embarrassing but overall it was a really
embarrassing but overall it was a really beautiful moment because I knew that my
beautiful moment because I knew that my
beautiful moment because I knew that my mom’s after months of fighting for
mom’s after months of fighting for
mom’s after months of fighting for marriage equality as well of years of
marriage equality as well of years of
marriage equality as well of years of fighting just to be treated as humans
fighting just to be treated as humans
fighting just to be treated as humans love had finally won for them so thank
love had finally won for them so thank
love had finally won for them so thank you mommy and mama I love you
and I hope whatever happens in the next
and I hope whatever happens in the next four years love continues to win
four years love continues to win
four years love continues to win [Applause]
”
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