Court Rules: Same-Sex Couples Must be Allowed to Marry in New York

[Modem Butterfly]

http://www.lambdalegal.org/cgi-bin/iowa/documents/record?record=1634

A New York State court ruled today that same-sex couples must be allowed to marry, in a decision that Lambda Legal called “a historic ruling that delivers the state Constitution’s promise of equality to all New Yorkers.” Lambda Legal filed the lawsuit last year, representing five same-sex couples seeking marriage licenses in New York City.

In a 62-page decision issued this morning in New York City, State Supreme Court Justice Doris Ling-Cohan said that the New York State Constitution guarantees basic freedoms to lesbian and gay people – and that those rights are violated when same-sex couples are not allowed to marry. The ruling said the state Constitution requires same-sex couples to have equal access to marriage, and that the couples represented by Lambda Legal must be given marriage licenses.

“I was even more moved than I thought I’d be when I heard about this ruling. All of us cried – me, Mary Jo and our 15-year-old daughter. For the first time, our family is being treated with the respect and dignity that our friends, coworkers and neighbors automatically have,” said Jo-Ann Shain, a 51-year-old New York City resident who is a plaintiff in the case with her partner, Mary Jo Kennedy, 49. “Last week, Mary Jo and I celebrated our 23rd anniversary together, but we’ve never had all the protections and rights that come with marriage. We need these protections to take responsibility for each other and for our daughter, and we are enormously grateful that the court saw that and said our family should be treated equally.”

:grouphug:

[Kikosexy2]

1. I raise my...

champagne glass to thee and throw some rice in the air!! Yeeahhhh!

[FreedomAngel82]

11. Nice

I'm glad to hear this! Hopefully the religious fundies won't get there to stop it. :toast: Way to go New York!

[Bluebear]

2. Step by step.

Wonderful news, M.Butterfly!

[Modem Butterfly]

3. I'm not gay, I'm not from New York, but THIS makes my DAY!!!

WHA-HOOO!

[NewJeffCT]

8. same for me

This is good news...

[arbusto_baboso]

10. Same here. None of us are free unless ALL of us are free.

[theorist]

4. The SC judge should have offered to marry them on the spot.

This is great news, nonetheless. :)

[Modem Butterfly]

5. I agree

What's the holdup? Get these people married, stat!

[fertilizeonarbusto]

6. I like the way you think

That would have been a nice touch.

[LynnTheDem]

7. WAY TO GO, NY!!! I HEART NY!!! New York, living in the 21st Century!

NY was also opposed to bush's war of aggression against Iraq and opposed to the "Patriot" Act.

WELL DONE, NEW YORK! :) :) :)

[IrateCitizen]

9. This is GREAT! I can't wait to tell my next-door neighbors...

They're a lesbian couple that just celebrated their 25th anniversary together. And since we all live in NY -- finally, they can get married if they choose!

[MrScorpio]

12. Pop a cork and get out the party hats

Somebody start some music!

Time to JAM!!

:party: