2007.02.15: February 15, 2007: Headlines: COS - Guatemala: Gay Issues: Marriage: Civil Rights: Protest: The Eureka Reporter : Guatemala RPCVs Lara Weiss and Nora Wynne — accompanied by their 3-year-old twin daughters —turned down for marriage license
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2007.02.15: February 15, 2007: Headlines: COS - Guatemala: Gay Issues: Marriage: Civil Rights: Protest: The Eureka Reporter : Guatemala RPCVs Lara Weiss and Nora Wynne — accompanied by their 3-year-old twin daughters —turned down for marriage license
Guatemala RPCVs Lara Weiss and Nora Wynne — accompanied by their 3-year-old twin daughters —turned down for marriage license
“In accordance with the laws of the state of California, a marriage license can only be issued to an unmarried man and an unmarried woman,” said Vicki Cushman, supervisor of vital records. “Until the law is changed, we are bound to uphold that law and can only issue a marriage license to an unmarried man and an unmarried woman. Wynne said she and Weiss met in Guatemala in 1995 while in the Peace Corps. After a year, their friendship blossomed into something more. The two married in San Francisco in 2004 after San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom directed the county clerk to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Although Wynne said she is aware that until laws change, her marriage to Weiss is not legally valid, events such as Wednesday’s are just one of many steps to marriage equality. “We know that when people realize it’s not a religious issue, but a civil rights issue, and they change the laws accordingly,” Wynne said. “These are all just steps toward the goal.”
Guatemala RPCVs Lara Weiss and Nora Wynne — accompanied by their 3-year-old twin daughters —turned down for marriage license
Many same-sex couples apply for marriage licenses; all are denied
by Kara D. Machado, The Eureka Reporter, 2/15/2007
Caption: Friends Abigail Frankel, left, and Abigail Hastings-Tharp, right, both 4 1/2 years old, stand on the Humboldt County Courthouse steps in the rain, Wednesday afternoon, while couples of the same sex apply for civil marriage licenses. Photo: Katie O’Neill/The Eureka Reporter
Lara Weiss and Nora Wynne — accompanied by their 3-year-old twin daughters — were the seventh same-sex couple to apply for a marriage license at the Humboldt County Clerk/Recorder’s Office Wednesday.
As with the six couples before, and the one couple after, Weiss and Wynne were denied.
“In accordance with the laws of the state of California, a marriage license can only be issued to an unmarried man and an unmarried woman,” said Vicki Cushman, supervisor of vital records. “Until the law is changed, we are bound to uphold that law and can only issue a marriage license to an unmarried man and an unmarried woman.
“If you would like the law changed, you need to contact your government officials at both the state and national levels.”
Cushman then handed the couple three pages, neatly stapled together, that contained Cushman’s speech and contact information for several politicians — from President George W. Bush to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to Assemblymember Patty Berg.
Wednesday marked the fifth year demonstrators congregated outside the Humboldt County Courthouse, as multiple same-sex couples rode the courthouse elevator to the fifth floor to apply for marriage licenses, said Jamila Tharp, outreach director for Marriage Equality USA.
“This happened before (the past five years of demonstrations),” Tharp said.
“There might have been a break in between, but I’m unsure how long.”
Tharp said maybe more than 50 people showed up Wednesday.
Even in the drizzling rain, men and women remained, holding various signs — at least one of which prompted motorists to honk for marriage equality.
John McAlinn held a sign that read, “Jesus didn’t discriminate and nor should we.”
McAlinn said he and his wife Darsty have been together for 26 years and have “had the privilege of being married four times to each other.”
“We believe in marriage equality,” McAlinn said. “We’re all committed couples.”
Darsty added, “Someday (same-sex marriage laws) will be passed.”
From about noon to about 1 p.m. Wednesday, Cushman counted six same-sex couples who had applied for marriage licenses — and were ultimately denied.
Five of those couples were women, Cushman said, and one was a male couple.
Tharp and Hasting were the eighth couple denied.
Tharp said she sees the yearly Valentine’s Day “marriage counter event” continuing well into the future.
“We’ll do it until we have our equal rights,” Tharp said. “This is an injustice that needs to be corrected.
“We pay taxes and we believe we’re entitled to the same equal protection under the laws of what our Constitution proclaims.”
Wynne said she and Weiss met in Guatemala in 1995 while in the Peace Corps.
After a year, their friendship blossomed into something more.
The two married in San Francisco in 2004 after San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom directed the county clerk to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.
Although Wynne said she is aware that until laws change, her marriage to Weiss is not legally valid, events such as Wednesday’s are just one of many steps to marriage equality.
“We know that when people realize it’s not a religious issue, but a civil rights issue, and they change the laws accordingly,” Wynne said. “These are all just steps toward the goal.”
Wynne said it’s always disappointing to know she and Weiss will continue to be denied a marriage license until laws change.
But until then, Wynne said, “it would take a brave soul to say yes (from behind the county clerk’s counter).”
“They would be putting their job on the line,” Wynne said. “I would hope (they would do it), but I wouldn’t expect it.”
Cushman said she is sympathetic to marriage equality.
“I’d like to see (the marriage law) changed in the future,” Cushman said, “because it really needs to be changed.”
Links to Related Topics (Tags):
Headlines: February, 2007; Peace Corps Guatemala; Directory of Guatemala RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Guatemala RPCVs; Gay Issues; Marriage; Civil Rights; Protest; California
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Story Source: The Eureka Reporter
This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Guatemala; Gay Issues; Marriage; Civil Rights; Protest
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