It was something that was straight out of their own dreams: a fairytale wedding attended by family and friends.
But the bride and groom are like no other because they are of the same sex: males! However, the peculiarity of this wedding does not stop with the couple’s gender because the binding ceremony was not just between two people but three!
This is the story of three gay Thai men: Joke, Art, and Bell.
Many might not take them seriously, especially because of their names, yet they all love each other. Now, same-sex relationships are frowned upon in Thailand but the three have managed to live a wonderful life together despite the stigma.
Twenty-nine-year old Joke and 26-year-old Art were the first to meet and start a relationship back in 2010. They soon moved in together.
It was quite some time before they met 21-year-old Bell. They soon came to a realization that they also love Bell. It was not as if they were cheating on one another because the two of them fell in love with Bell who also confessed to having mutual feelings with the two.
Their love was tested when Bell was hospitalized due to a congenital condition. However, instead of pulling them apart, the experience only strengthened their resolve to love each other. Joke and Art proposed the idea of a three-way marriage and decided to ask Bell’s parents for his hand in marriage. Though the request was quite weird, the parents agreed as they saw just how dedicated Joke and Art had been to Bell.
Thailand’s marriage restrictions prevented the three’s union but they soon found a way to get married by undertaking the ceremony under Buddhist law.
The ceremony included promises to share their home and responsibilities as well as declaring their vows to love one another. Although they understand that the marriage is not really legally recognized in Thailand, the three are not bothered.
As Joke put it:
Most people all around us can accept that and many people have given us their blessing. We love each other and live together like brothers; hopefully this is something the world can understand in the 21st century.
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