Wendy Young, left, and Tess Healy, right, at their wedding in 2003 at the pride parade in Prince George, B.C.
When Wendy Young and Tess Healy fell in love and wanted to wed, same-sex marriage was illegal in Canada. So, they took it to court and won the right to say, "I do." Now, the couple is celebrating their 20th wedding anniversary by renewing their vows. This First Person article is written by Tess Healy, who lives in Prince George, B.C. For more information about First Person stories, see
Our vow renewal celebration captured the joy I find in our relationship. No matter the state of the world or how hard things are, Wendy makes me whole and, in that whole self, I can move through the world unafraid. This is what it means to me to be happily ever after.A copy of the invitation to Young and Healy's vow renewal ceremony in 2023. I hadn't expected to fall in love at a hockey game. I was at a Prince George Cougars game when a mutual friend introduced me to Wendy.
That's when we began dating seriously and I learned that just the two of us is enough to own the world. It was also when we agreed we would never put our relationship in the closet.Wendy and I weren't keen on marriage. We are both strong feminists who saw marriage as an unattractive patriarchal institution. But we really wanted to have the choice to decide for ourselves.
Healy, left, and Young, right, renewed their vows on Aug. 30, 2023 — 20 years to the day of their wedding ceremony. It's been 20 years since that day. Marriage isn't easy. There has been loss and pain, but also joy and triumph. Many of our female heterosexual friends have asked Wendy to give lessons to their husbands on how to be romantic. And I had the legal right to be by Wendy's bedside when she fought cancer in the hospital. That hard-won right became a foundation in our married life.I didn't realize what joy there would be in gaining the right to marry as a same-sex couple.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Young's 22 points, 12 assists lead the Hawks past the PelicansTrae Young had 22 points and 12 assists, and the Atlanta Hawks defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 123-105 on Saturday night to extend their winning streak to four games.
Read more »
Geoff Johnson: Children should be protected from frightening images of warVery young children do not need to learn specifics about conflicts they can’t understand, and should be reassured that the war is far away
Read more »
Geoff Johnson: Children should be protected from frightening images of warVery young children do not need to learn specifics about conflicts they can’t understand, and should be reassured that the war is far away
Read more »
Geoff Johnson: Children should be protected from frightening images of warVery young children do not need to learn specifics about conflicts they can’t understand, and should be reassured that the war is far away
Read more »
This grandmother works gruelling 70-hour weeks just to pay the bills. And she's not aloneYoung outside of the home she rents with her husband in Flatrock, N.L. She says the two don't have much time to spare for each other these days.
Read more »
Moore's two pick-6s help Colts beat PanthersKenny Moore returned two Bryce Young interceptions for touchdowns, Jonathan Taylor caught a touchdown pass from Gardner Minshew and the Indianapolis Colts defeated the Carolina Panthers 27-13 on Sunday to snap a three-game losing streak.
Read more »