Barney Frank Marrying Jim Ready

Barney Frank is marrying a dude, further proving just how gay he is.

Barney Frank is marrying a dude, further proving just how gay he is.

The Hill (“Barney Frank to marry longtime partner“):

Retiring congressman Barney Frank (D-Mass.) will marry his longtime partner, Jim Ready.

Frank and Ready plan to wed in Massachusetts. Frank’s home state is one of six states, in addition to the District of Columbia, that permits gay marriage.

Frank announced in November that he would be retiring from Congress after 16 terms to pursue other opportunities. In 1987, Frank disclosed that he was gay, becoming the first openly gay member of Congress.

Ready and Frank have known each other since they met in 2005 at a fundraiser in Maine, and began a relationship in January of 2007 after Ready’s partner died. Ready works as a photographer and has a small buisness doing custom awnings, carpentry, painting, and welding according to Frank’s office.

Frank’s coming out of the closet in 1987 created a huge firestorm. At this point, though, this is really noteworthy only as a human interest story. Good luck to the happy couple.

FILED UNDER: Congress, Gender Issues, US Politics, , , , ,
James Joyner
About James Joyner
James Joyner is Professor and Department Head of Security Studies at Marine Corps University's Command and Staff College. He's a former Army officer and Desert Storm veteran. Views expressed here are his own. Follow James on Twitter @DrJJoyner.

Comments

  1. Hey Norm says:

    “…At this point, though, this is really noteworthy only as a human interest story…”

    Well yeah…except for the fact that Republicans would deny them their right to do so.

  2. Nikki says:

    I’m happy for him. And Jim Ready is hot! I always did like bears.

  3. Jenos Idanian says:

    Frank’s 71, Ready’s 41. It just barely falls short of the “half plus seven” rule for age differences in couples.

    I was hoping Frank’s fiance was the guy from Fannie Mae, because that would make comments like “Frank’s just formalizing his relationship with Fannie Mae; he’s been exceptionally conjugal with the agency for years.” However, Frank broke up with Herb Moses back in 1998.

    Personally, as long as it gets him out of Congress, I’d cheerfully sign a petition to legalize his marriage to an underage goat, if that’s what he wanted. Please let him enjoy his long-overdue retirement.

  4. Jane says:

    Barney Frank is brilliant and straightforward, and a hard worker. Losing him as a Congressman is tragic. Whatever makes him happy makes me happy too! God bless you, Barney!

  5. michael reynolds says:

    Half plus seven, eh? Hmmm, I had established my own “cannot leer at any woman 20 years or more my junior” rule, which limits me to 37 and up. Your rule puts my number at 35 1/2. Advantage!

    Best wishes to Barney Frank. Congress will be so much less interesting without him.

  6. OzarkHillbilly says:

    Good luck to the happy couple

    Indeed. And congress will be a whole lot more boring from here on out.

  7. bandit says:

    Will Barney’s wife stop harassing Sean Bielat now?

  8. Herb says:

    Chris Christie would never let something like this happen in New Jersey……

  9. TheColourfield says:

    @Jenos Idanian:

    Shorter Jenos

    I’m a bigot.

  10. Jenos Idanian says:

    @TheColourfield: Longer Jenos: I really, really, really hope Barney Frank is deleriously happy in his married retirement, and he never ever ever gets involved in public policy again. What he did to our economy is going to take years to fix. We literally can’t afford to have him making public policy.

  11. Franklin says:

    @Jenos Idanian:

    I’d cheerfully sign a petition to legalize his marriage to an underage goat,

    Goats can’t consent, especially the kids!

  12. Jenos Idanian says:

    @Franklin: Goats can’t consent, especially the kids!

    You evil bastard, I just nearly wet myself.

    You could at least thank me for setting you up so perfectly for that line.

  13. Carson says:

    “Release the Kraken!”