enlarge Doug Jones/Staff Photographer

Darlene Huntress of Equality Maine told the crowd in Monument Square, “Our job is not done yet.”

enlarge Doug Jones/Staff Photographer

An unplanned rally to celebrate the passage of Maine’s gay marriage law drew about 100 people to Monument Square on Wednesday. “It didn’t seem right to not do anything,” said Chris O’Connor, who organized the event.

enlarge Doug Jones/Staff Photographer

Max Pomerleau of Portland makes a statement in Monument Square during Wednesday’s impromptu celebration to mark the passage of Maine’s same-sex marriage law.

PORTLAND — It was just an impromptu gathering, but about 100 people came to Monument Square on Wednesday night to celebrate the passage of same-sex marriage legislation in Maine.

Chris O'Connor, who lives in South Portland, said he organized the rally by e-mailing and texting as many people as he could, and by posting a message on Facebook.

"It didn't seem right to not do anything," said O'Connor, who is gay and single. "This was a chance for people to come together. It seemed right."

Motorists passing by the rally on Congress Street honked their horns, and several people spoke during the brief gathering. The most emotional speech came from state Rep. Terry K. Morrison.

Morrison, a freshman legislator from South Portland, told the crowd about "coming out" as a gay man during a discussion of same-sex marriage on the floor of the House.

"I will go all over the damn state to make sure we win this battle," Morrison vowed, referring to the fact that opponents of same-sex marriage will seek to have the law overturned this fall with a referendum.

After he spoke, Morrison was asked about his decision to go public before his fellow legislators.

"It felt powerful," Morrison said. "I felt like I had to put a face on this issue."

Morrison said his former partner, Will Tracy, would be proud of what he did. Tracy died four years ago.

Kali Lightfoot came to the rally alone, but tears came to her eyes as she spoke about a college experience in Michigan, where a female student was expelled from school after administrators learned she was gay.

"We have come so far since then," said Lightfoot, who is 64. "What this means to me is that relationships that have been hard to define are normal now."

Steven Bridges and Michael Snell have been together for five years. The Portland couple said that as soon as same-sex weddings can occur, they plan to get married. The law won't take effect until 90 days after the Legislature adjourns in June.

"We are like everyone else. We want to have the same rights," Bridges said.

Jill Barkley of Portland campaigned for passage of the law in Augusta. She said she has been in a relationship for about two years and is contemplating marriage.

"It blows my mind that this is possible now," she said.

Darlene Huntress, public policy director for Equality Maine, said that no one should take what the Legislature and Gov. John Baldacci did for granted, since the law could be overturned by Maine voters.

"Our job is not done yet," Huntress told the crowd. "We are in for the fight of our lives."

Staff Writer Dennis Hoey can be contacted at 791-6365 or at:

dhoey@pressherald.com