Former Bucks’ student Joanne Schailey recently made history when her marriage with Beth Asaro was the first legal same-sex marriage in the state of New Jersey.

“To be the first same-sex couple to tie the knot here is exciting, ground shaking, mind blowing, and we are both in a whirl-wind,” Schailey said.

New Jersey is now the 14th state in the United States to allow such rights.

A lower New Jersey Supreme Court ruling on Oct. 18, made official by Chief Justice Stuart Rabner made this possible when he voted 7-0 to allow same-sex marriages beginning on Oct. 21, according to cnn.com. A final ruling will not be made for another year, but the ruling by Rabner stands for now according to Salvador Rizzo of the Star Ledger.

This ruling caused Schailey and Asaro to move quickly as they were married one minute after midnight in their beloved town of Lambertville. The moment was a long time coming as the couple have been partners for 27 years according to usatoday.com

“I have never thought in my life time it would happen. To be able to marry the person you love is great,” Schailey said.

Asaro and Schailey were also the first in New Jersey to get a civil union in 2007.

Schailey was a biology major at Bucks from 1975-77 and worked in the biology labs for her work study program.

“Bucks is a great stepping stone, Schailey said. It opened up my world.”

Some Bucks’ students seemed impressed when they were told about the event.

“It’s interesting to think about, but I would’ve liked to have met them and actually talked to them about how it feels to make history,” said 19-year-old Shelby.

The prevention of same-sex marriages originally came from a 1996 act called the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) that was signed by former President Bill Clinton. Section 3 of the document states that the Federal government does not have to recognize same-sex marriages.

Recently DOMA section 3 laws were taken down because it violated the constitution under its equal protection plan.

Section two of the act has not been challenged and says that states do not have to recognize same sex-marriages that were legal in other states.

Hawaii could soon be following New Jersey as it is on its way to legalizing same-sex marriages.

Even though states are all slowly joining in, we still have a long way to go. There are still many who don’t support same-sex marriages or gay rights as a whole.

Fear and religion are a big part in why not everyone is accepting according to Schailey. This presumption manifested itself when Schailey and Asaro received a letter from West Virginia that said they were going to hell.

“It’s all about love, and that’s nothing you should take away from anyone,” said Schailey.

The ODC (open door club) is something Schailey is a supporter of and wishes that Bucks offered it when she was a student here.

“It seems like a great and safe environment, Schailey said. Back then you were just trying to find yourself and it is good to be who you are instead of pretending.” The Supreme Court is set to make a ruling on the issue next year.