Thursday 4 March 2010

Great news: gay marriage becomes legal in Washington!!


*via The New York Times

picture - by Alex Wong/Getty Images - Jonathan Howard, above left, and Gregory Jones applied for a marriage license on Wednesday in Washington

[...] “This is a dream come true,” said Sinjoyla Townsend, 41, as she smiled ear to ear and held up her ticket indicating she was first in line with her partner of 12 years, Angelisa Young, 47. “We wanted it so bad.”

Gay rights advocates hailed the day as a milestone for equal rights and a symbolic victory as same-sex marriage became legal in the nation’s capital.

Washington is now the sixth place in the nation where same-sex marriages can take place. Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont also issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. [...]

The new law was already having regional implications.

Maryland’s attorney general, Douglas F. Gansler, issued a legal opinion last week concluding that Maryland should immediately recognize same-sex marriages performed elsewhere. [...]

Because of a mandatory waiting period, couples will not be able to marry in the city until Tuesday.

City officials say the measure will also provide a financial boost to the local economy. A study by the Williams Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles, predicted that more than 14,000 same-sex marriages would occur in the city over the next three years, which would bring in $5 million in new tax revenue and create 700 jobs.

4 comments:

vaguSnervuS said...

such a cute pic :) and great news indeed. now no wonder that america is about opportunities

artmika said...

I want to share similar great news... from the South Caucasus too ;))) One day, may be, one day...

Unknown said...

One day... hope we'll see that "one day"
anyway there are couples in Armenia that getting married without legal registration and they are happy with that:)

vaguSnervuS said...

yes seriously, who needs that legal registration. if a couple is happy, no need for papers. there is a joke that registration of marriage is needed to inform the government that u sleep with someone lawfully :)so go and get it, sleeping unlawfully is even more exciting ;)