Montgomery County Register of Wills D. Bruce Hanes has decided to come down on the “right side of history and the law,” thus granting same-sex couples marriage licenses despite Pennsylvania’s ban on gay marriage. Hanes has issued marriage licenses to at least five couples and one has become the very first to walk down the aisle.
“We’ve been a family for 18 years and we’re no different than anybody else, and finally it’s recognized,” Alicia Terrizzi told NBC10 Philadelphia. Terrizzi married her partner Loreen Bloogood in a small religious ceremony in the park with their two sons present. They plan on having a larger ceremony next week with friends and family. “It doesn’t make any difference to us. Nothing is going to change, but now we’re gonna have a piece of paper so everyone else recognizes it.”
Montgomery County was actually ready to start issuing licenses on Tuesday but there was a bit of confusion surrounding a pending lawsuit against Pennsylvania’s 17-year ban on gay marriage. The ACLU filed the suit two weeks ago against Governor Tom Corbett and Attorney General Kathleen Kane, but on July 11 Kane said she would not defend the law in court. Corbett, a Republican who opposes marriage equality, has yet to announce whether he will fight the lawsuit and has refused to comment on Kane’s decision.
Other states banning same-sex marriage have seen licenses issued by defiant local officials voided by the court, so the ACLU warned expectant couples that they could face the same fate in Pennsylvania.
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“We know how it has played out in a few other states; we don’t know how it might turn out in Pennsylvania,” said ACLU spokeswoman Molly Tack-Hooper. “Gay and lesbian couples seeking marriage licenses in Montgomery County should be aware that there might be uncertainty about the legal statuses of those marriages for a while because unfortunately in other states, governments have later invalidated the marriages.”
But for now, Terrizi and Bloodgood are enjoying married life, no matter how long it lasts. “I think we feel equal for once. We feel that we’re the same as anyone else and it’s a great feeling.” Bloodgood said. “It’s almost indescribable.”
1EqualityUSA
When Gavin Newsom defied law and said for gay couples to come down to S.F.’s City Hall, we were one of many, waiting in the drizzly cold, lined up around the block since dawn. (Our Domestic Partnership had us feeling relegated to 2nd class citizenship.) We were notified by mail that the marriage license was being taken away. Nobody could take away the experience we had, the love felt, the free food and hot coffee being donated, the honking and cheers from passing cars. The two men in front of us came all the way from L.A. They were sweet hearts. Then we became 1 of the 18,000 couples that legally wed in the short window of time before Prop H8 was passed. When Obama had won that night, we were unable to fully be elated, as fellow Americans voted away our inalienable rights. I never blogged, wrote online, nor commented on anything internetty, until Prop H8. Something happened when Prop H8 passed in 200H8. I started writing, as though our lives depended upon it. Equality from Coast to Coast! Pennsylvanians will have similar tales to tell. It’s painful and the words you hear will be mind-numbingly cruel, but hang in there and speak from your hearts. Good luck to you all.
1EqualityUSA
Error: The window of time when Prop H8 was considered unconstitutional. There was a three month window of time when we legally wed, before the haters got the marriages halted.
EGO
It is amazing how intelligent human beings in politics can be so ignorant this day and age. These politicians don’t seem to understand that this is a civil issue and not religious one. They need to stop forcing themselves on others.
The LGBT community needs to continue to fight for their rights and eventually they will have them everywhere. Kudos to the LGBTs in Pennsylvania!
LadyL
@1EqualityUSA: 1EqualityUSA–I love you. Thanks for sharing your story here.
LadyL
@EGO: In this day and age I doubt it’s ignorance–more fear and denial. But I join you in congratulating Pennsylvania’s LGBT and their supporters.