“We stood collectively, so we sent a stronger voice than had the vote been split,” she said after the meeting.
Cambridge residents turned out to support the council’s action, and greeted the vote with applause.
“It’s the first legislative body to affirm the SJC decision, and that is really wonderful,” said resident Robin Shore.
Jennifer Hess displayed her city-issued domestic partnership card and said she hoped Cambridge would be among the first cities to extend marriage benefits to same-sex couples.
“I hope one day soon I can turn in my second-class citizen card and get a real certificate,” she said.
Several residents also urged the council to restore health care and other benefits to domestic partners of city employees. Those benefits were struck down by a court challenge in November 2001.
Shore, an employee of the city’s Community Development Department whose partner of 21 years is not currently eligible for benefits, said she hoped the council would “rectify the situation in the spirit of the SJC ruling.”
Councillors said last night they hoped to take action on this issue soon, and they passed a unanimous order asking the City Manager to report back on the feasibility of extending the benefits in light of the new ruling.
“To deny people equal benefits for equal work is unacceptable,” said Councillor Marjorie C. Decker.
The council also passed a related order urging the state legislature to take legal action as soon as possible to put the court’s decision into effect.
Councillor Anthony D. Galluccio said that he is “more comfortable” with allowing civil unions rather than marriages for gay couples, but is willing to support the court’s extension of the legal definition of marriage.
Councillor Kenneth E. Reeves ’72 said civil unions, even with the legal benefits that accompany marriage, would not be an acceptable compromise.
“Marriage is the only goal,” he said.
He added that he was glad he and his partner of 33 years might now be granted the same status as any other couple.
“To learn at [the age of] 52 that you’re really going to be a real person is extraordinary,” he said.
—Contributing writer Michael M. Grynbaum can be reached at grynbaum@fas.harvard.edu.
—Staff writer Jessica R. Rubin-Wills can be reached at rubinwil@fas.harvard.edu.