Fridae

Vermont-based ice cream manufacturer Ben and Jerry’s will rename “Chubby Hubby”, one of it bestselling flavours, “Hubby Hubby” for a month as new state laws recognising  sex-marriages come into effect  in September, reports the Boston Herald.

“The legalisation of marriage for gay and lesbian couples in Vermont is certainly a step in the right direction, and something worth celebrating with peace, love - and plenty of ice cream,” Ben & Jerry’s CEO Walt Freese was quoted as saying in the report.

Its press release reads: "Ben & Jerry’s has a long history of commitment to social justice, including gay rights. Its partnership with Freedom to Marry, a national leader in the movement for marriage equality, aims to raise awareness of the importance of marriage equality and to encourage other states to follow the blazing trails of Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, and Maine. Freedom to Marry promotes the national conversation about why marriage equality matters and brings together partner organisations into a larger whole - a shared civil rights campaign."

Although the product will not be available in stores, six Vermont ice cream parlors will sell special “Hubby Hubby” sundaes this month. A wedding-themed Ben & Jerry’s truck will hand out free “Hubby Hubby” across Vermont on Sep 1.

Vermont was the first state in the US to recognise civil unions in 2000. 

With the new laws, Vermont is the first state to legalise gay marriage legislatively, instead of by court order, as other states have.

On April 7 this year, Vermont lawmakers overrode a governor's veto of a gay-marriage bill.

According to the Burlington Free Press, all marrying couples in Vermont will be covered by the same form. What used to be called "Vermont license and certificate of marriage" is now titled "Vermont License and Certificate of Civil Marriage."

Headings such as "bride" and "groom" have been changed to "applicant A" and "applicant B," check boxes have also been provided for participants who prefer to be referred to as "bride," "groom" or "spouse."

While the old law does not permit couples who are trying to get around a law prohibiting it in their own state to marry in Vermont, couples from states that prohibit same-sex marriages can now marry in the state.

Same-sex marriage is not recognised federally due to the Defense of Marriage Act. Six states have approved gay marriage, although the action in Maine is being challenged. Same-sex marriage are currently performed in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Iowa. New Hampshire’s same-sex marriage laws are expected to go into effect on Jan. 1, 2010. Click onto “FACTBOX: U.S. laws on gay marriage, civil unions (Reuters)” for details.