Drunk in Love: The Love Wins Story of Sity

In the United States, same-sex marriage has been legal nationwide since June 26, 2015, when the United States Supreme Court ruled in Obergefell v. Hodges that state-level bans on same-sex marriage are unconstitutional. The court ruled that the denial of marriage licenses to same-sex couples and the refusal to recognize those marriages performed in other jurisdictions violates the Due Process and the Equal Protection clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution. The ruling overturned a precedent, Baker v. Nelson.

Many of my older colleagues and friends began to celebrate in so many ways. They had waited so long for such a ruling and the time had finally come for them to be able to legally marry the love of their lives. One of the things I found missing was my peers my age preparing for marriage. I can’t speak for everyone, but all of my hittas, ryders, sidekicks, squallies, and friends was happy for the ruling but no one was in love enough to be married.

With love fresh in the air for my 37 and older crew I set out on a mission to find young love. I didn’t want just any regular love. I wanted a love that looked like me. Smelled like me. Walked like me. And most of all related to what I related to. I wanted that love that had overcome social media haters. Surpassed the apps we all hate but secretly love for meeting new “friends.” I wanted the love that was dealing with the reality of mainstream culture, reality tv, and most of all daily life. In my quest to find this I would have never guessed that I would fall victim to the happiness of someone else.

Born Terrance Daniel, this 5’ 7” 150 fine specimen of a man hails from New Orleans, Louisiana. Known to his peers as Sity, I honestly have no idea how I came across him but it was one of those things where my IG friend gave one of their IG friends a shout out. Me being nosy, I clicked on that person’s page and they were in a picture with Sity. Being the investigative looks focused individual that I am I clicked on his page and my oh my. All I could think was Campbell’s Soup “Mmm Mmm Good.” LoL

While being inquisitive I noticed that Sity had this one young man in numerous pictures. As I continued to scroll they seemed to get closer and closer in the pictures. Finally, I seen that 1 pic that showed them kissing with the infamous hashtag #MCM. Babeeeeeeeeeee, I got my whole life. Upon realizing that Sity was in a relationship, I did what any ThoT would do and ran to his DM. LoL. However, I ran to his DM to ask him about his relationship. Upon his reply we ended taking the conversation to kik. Can we give a shout out to technology real quick. Okay, back to Sity. Upon embarking on conversation on kik I found out that Sity is my age, grew up in a similar environment, deals with his social media stalkers and most of all is engaged to Lionell. This proved to me that it is true and that in the end LOVE always wins.

I had to find out how this beautiful ending began so I headed out to NOLA to meet the lovely couple. Did I mention Sity paid for it? Yes bih, he is Fine and Paid. Shout out to entrepreneurship. Get your tissue ready as I take you behind The Making of a Love Story: Sity & Lionell.

DiamondKesawn: So we are going to talk to the boy Sity and the boy Lionel right now. What’s going on ya’ll?

Sity: All is well on our end, thanks.

Sity: Well, I’m Sity. Well I am Terrence but everybody calls me Sity. I am a black gay entrepreneur. I am currently trying to start my own business and am madly in love with Lionel.

DiamondKesawn: (laughs) anyone else at home?

Lionel:  And I am Lionel. An aspiring artist from New Orleans and am madly in love with Terrence. The feeling is definitely mutual.

DiamondKesawn: (Screams goodheartedly and everybody laughs)… Do me this favor Sity, if you can for me. Tell me the story of how you and Lionel met.

Sity: I met Lionel at a night club in New Orleans it’s called Fusion. I was actually with my friend and he was like “oh he’s kinda cute. You should go talk to him.” I was like “nah ah” so he pushed me and I actually hit Lionel. I was like “wassup?”

Diamond: Damn!

Sity: So I gave him my number and called basically trying to get him to hang out and he was like “naah I am not that type of dude.”(Lionel laughs)…

Diamond: Okay, how do you go from this push forcing you to speak, to him saying no, to now you’re engaged to be married? So Lionel do me this favor, What is it about Sity that took you from saying no I’m good to saying okay I’ll try it, to saying you know what; I’ll marry you?

Lionel: Mainly because he was very on top of it like he was not letting up. It made me give him a chance on dating; really getting to know him and opening up to him because I am a very private person. Getting to know him and really dating him for the past year or so made me realize he is a really good person. He has deeper things going on that he really confides in me about and I love that. That is what made me say yes.

Diamond: Sity, being a street sophisticated male, being black, being gay and being from down south in New Orleans were you afraid to take that move and be in a public relationship? To Saying “will you MARRY me?”

Sity: I was always scared of marriage. I really didn’t see it for me. It was like going too far. I never had a dude that made me think about it, but with Lionel I realized I don’t want to be with somewhere else. That is what turned me on about him. He doesn’t easily submit and he don’t be like “Oh Sity, oh this and that”. He really gives me a run for my money. I love a challenge.

DiamondKesawn: Lionel, So did you upgrade him or did he upgrade you? You know I had to ask!

Lionel: I would never say that. We upgraded each other. But in the end we did upgrade each other but mostly because we complement each other. We bring out the best in each other.

DiamondKesawn: I like it. So tell me this; being young, the minority, being gay, what are some of the challenges you all face as a couple as you go through everyday life in 2015?

Sity: I really don’t think we have too many of them because we really don’t go to gay events or do the scene. We don’t go to gay clubs on the usual like we always do our own little thing. We have like a little date night as we call it. Go shoot pool and drink and socialize with the straight world. It is what it is. One can choose to deal with it or not.

DiamondKesawn: Wait, so you just be all in love and kissing in public?

Terence: Hell yeah.

Lionel: Yeah.

Diamond: Ahhhhhhhhhhh! Yassssssssssssssssss Bish! (Everybody laughs)

Oh my gosh, just cupcaking in public, I cannot! Oh my gosh. I wanna know what your plans for this wedding are. What is it like to actually be planning your wedding?

Lionel: Well it’s kinda a mixed emotion .I love the fact (that were together) no wonder we are getting married. And just like being able to share the experience with my friends and family and have their full support behind it. It is just amazing. And also being there with Terrence; he’s been there planning it and helping me out. We are together in it. We are so much together in it that we are going out as unit and not separate anymore.

Terrence: And I feel as though it’s a headache (everybody laughs) because you gottoa make sure everybody is there. I got a big old friend base and family base. I gotta make sure everybody know about it. I kinda want a big wedding. I want it to be really really big.

DiamondKesawn: I have to ask; for the young reader out there who hear this. Those who read the said story about how Love is winning in the magazine. What are your words of advice for them to keep their relationship healthy and not let the world tear it apart?

Terence: My advice would be… if you are in a relationship you shouldn’t be like going out every weekend to gay clubs because first of all that puts temptation in your relationship, like drinks and all that that make you wanna do something that you probably didnt notice you’re doing. Set date time for you and your partner. Go out together is not wrong, be willing to compromise, help each other and most importantly, tell the truth.

Lionel: Yeah, communication is key and also keeping it positive, setting goals and being each others positive reinforcements.

Terrence: okay, yes sir.

DiamondKesawn: I love you both. I love the fact that you are in love. Oh my gosh! This relationship thing isn’t for me. I am def more of the Sophisticated Single for Life Card Holder, however, seeing you two has allowed for me to say you know what; it may be possible…… As I close, we are in the world of social media. It’s out there. Put out your social media info; Instagram, Twitter all of it, so we know how we can find you.

Terrence: My instagram is @King_Sity.

Lionel: My instagram @Lionelthomas_

DiamondKesawn: Who takes the last name? How does that work?

Lionel: My name will be Sity.

DiamondKesawn: Hahaha! Yasssssssssssssssssss Sity…….. (Everybody laughs)