Publish to Newswire
Add an EventFrom the Open-Publishing Calendar
From the Open-Publishing Newswire
Indybay Feature
New York State Court Rules Same-Sex Couples Must Be Allowed to Marry
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."
New York State Court Rules Same-Sex Couples Must Be Allowed to Marry
02.04.05
(New York, NY) - 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.
In a ruling 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.
"This is a historic ruling that delivers the state Constitution's promise of equality to all New Yorkers," said Susan Sommer, Supervising Attorney at Lambda Legal and the lead attorney on the case. "The court recognized that unless gay people can marry, they are not being treated equally under the law. Same-sex couples need the protections and security marriage provides, and this ruling says they're entitled to get them the same way straight couples do."
© 2005 GayWired.com, All Rights Reserved
read more at:
For more information:
http://www.gaywired.com/article.cfm?sectio...
We are 100% volunteer and depend on your participation to sustain our efforts!
Donate
$210.00 donated
in the past month
Get Involved
If you'd like to help with maintaining or developing the website, contact us.
Publish
Publish your stories and upcoming events on Indybay.
Topics
More
Search Indybay's Archives
Advanced Search
►
▼
IMC Network
NY's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center Hails NYS Supreme Court Ruling Backing Same-Sex Marriage
2/4/2005 2:27:00 PM
To: National and Metro desks, Legal Reporter
Contact: Inga Sarda-Sorensen of The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center, 212-620-7310, ext. 230 or iss [at] gaycenter.org; Web: http://www.gaycenter.org
NEW YORK, Feb. 4, /U.S. Newswire/ -- New York's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center is hailing today's New York Supreme Court ruling concluding that the 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.
"All New Yorkers should be proud that this court has concluded that the basic civil right to marry extends to their gay and lesbian family members, co-workers, friends and neighbors," says Center Executive Director Richard Burns. "This court was correct to conclude that unless same-sex couples can marry, we are being treated as second-class citizens."
Lambda Legal Defense & Education Fund filed a lawsuit last March in Manhattan on behalf of a gay couple who have been together for several years. The suit argued that denying marriage to same-sex couples violates the state Constitution's guarantee of equality for all New Yorkers. The case was the first of its kind to be filed in New York since the Massachusetts high court ruled that same-sex couples are entitled to full marriage under that state's Constitution.
"The march for civil rights is inexorable," states Burns. "While we will have many setbacks in the fight for our right to marry, we know that, ultimately, American hearts and minds will understand that the road to equality is the right path to follow."
Media inquiries go to Inga Sarda-Sorensen, the Center's communications director, at 212-620-7310, ext. 230; iss [at] gaycenter.org.
------
Established in 1983, the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center is the largest LGBT community center on the East Coast. Every week, 6,000 people visit the Center at 208 West 13th Street in New York City, and more than 300 groups meet there. Visit http://www.gaycenter.org to learn more.
http://www.usnewswire.com/
-0-
/© 2005 U.S. Newswire 202-347-2770/