TORONTO — Elton John’s Canadian partner David Furnish has opened up about marrying the pop star.
“We don’t feel the need to take an extra step legally,” Furnish, a Toronto native, told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “But since we’re committed for life, we feel it’s really important to take that step, and take advantage of that amazing change in legislation. We all live by example.”
John announced last October he planned to wed Furnish in May.
The two men have been together for more than 20 years and entered into a civil partnership in the UK in 2005. They have two children — Elijah, 3, and Zachary, 16 months.
With equal marriage becoming law in England and Wales on March 28, Furnish said plans are in place to tie the knot at a registry office in front of their children and a few friends.
Last October, John told talk show host Jimmy Kimmel he felt it was his duty to take advantage of the right to marry.
“If the laws are going to help us again, as a famous gay couple, we will do it,” the pop star said.
“When it actually happens, it will be an incredible moving occasion.”
In his interview with the Review-Journal, Furnish recalled his early struggles with his sexuality.
“I remember trying to come out to my mother and unfortunately going to all the negatives. ‘You’ll never get married. You’ll never have children. You’ll never be accepted by society. You’ll be prejudiced against. You won’t have a future.’
“I resigned myself to having a different life,” the 51-year-old told the newspaper. “I found it particularly difficult and challenging, because I came from a wonderful marriage; my parents are madly in love still. They’ve been married over 60 years.”
Furnish said these are extraordinary times.
“My god, 20 years ago, when I started seeing Elton, if you asked me if I’d be able to get married, if I’d be able to have children, it was unthinkable, literally unimaginable.”
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