San Francisco: 'I’m just a gay person in the world'

Here in the capital of gay California, where Mayor Gavin Newsom launched it all four years ago, City Hall on Tuesday was crawling with hyphenated children -- if only figuratively.

An oblivious Benjamin Whiting-Eismann slept calmly in a Snugli, while his mothers braved the crowds to pick up a wedding license.

"We thought today was the second day and would be safe," said Catherine Whiting, as Vanessa Eisemann dug around in Benjamin's diaper bag lfor their paperwork.

Mary Sophia Allen-Walmisley, who turns 9 today, and her brother, Luke, 5, waited patiently while their fathers queued up for license and marriage both.

The family lives on Maui in Hawaii, explaining the coordinated blue aloha shirts of Andrew Walmisley and Jonathan Allen. Once the nuptials ended, they headed off to Berkeley for the big event of the day -- picking up Mary Sophia's birthday cake.

And then there was Sidney Goldfader-Dufty, who rolled to City Hall with her jogging parents before the doors opened on the big day.

Her father is Supervisor Bevan Dufty, a gay man. Her mother is Rebecca Goldfader, a lesbian. The family lives close by and wanted to check out the City Hall scene.

As Dufty gave interviews on the steps, Goldfader eyed the crowds and worried about what the hubbub would do to children like Sidney, who attends preschool inside.

"I have a normal life," Goldfader said. "I'm just a gay person in the world."

-- Maria L. La Ganga