NY Times Exclusive: After 60 Years, an Unfaded Desire to Make It ‘Legal’

May 11, 2011

Last week, we introduced you to Richard Dorr and John Mace, who after meeting at Juliard in 1948, have spent 61 years together. And as they look back on a lifetime of memories, there's one more they want to create: Marriage. Thousands of people have watched Richard and John's story since last week and New Yorkers have contacted their state Senators urging them to pass a marriage bill so that Richard and John can marry in the place they call home. Today, the New York Times City Room profiled Richard and John, their 61 years together, and what being able to marry in New York would mean to them:

"The fact that they were not an “official couple” continued to disturb them, Mr. Dorr said.

“We have friends who say, ‘I’ve always considered you guys married,’ but the reality is, we don’t have official status here,” he said. “When I fill out a form, I have to identify myself as single, when in reality, it’s spouse and spouse.”

The two men attribute the longevity of their relationship to a perfect match in heart and art.

“We had a mutual love for singing and just a never-ending sense of togetherness right from the start,” Mr. Dorr said. “You can imagine, we encountered some problems 60 years ago, but our love helped us overcome them.”

The two men said they would waste no time getting married if it were made legal. They would go to City Hall and get their marriage license and have a quiet ceremony.

“It would be sort of a completion,” Mr. Mace said, before turning his attention to next student."

Read the full New York Times City Room exclusive and then click here to find out how you can help win marriage for couples like Richard and John in New York this year.