Alaska’s same-sex marriage ban has been struck down
Over the weekend, a federal judge struck down Alaska’s ban on same-sex marriage, which was the first such ban to be put in place in the United States back in 1998. This court decision is the latest in what has been a string of same-sex marriage legalization across the nation this week.
A lawsuit was filed back in May which sought to prevent Alaska from enforcing its constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. The lawsuit also called for preventing the enforcement of any state laws that refuse to recognize same-sex marriages that have been performed legally in other states or countries, or which otherwise prevent same-sex couples for getting married.
“The court finds that Alaska’s ban on same-sex marriage and refusal to recognize same sex marriages lawfully entered in other states is unconstitutional as a deprivation of basic due process and equal protection principles under the Fourteenth Amendment of the US Constitution,” wrote United States District Judge Timothy Burgess in his decision.
“Refusing the rights and responsibilities afforded by legal marriage sends the public a government-sponsored message that same-sex couples and their familial relationships do not warrant the status, benefits, and dignity given to couples of the opposite sex,” Judge Burgess continued.
This ruling closely follows the 9th United States Circuit Court of Appeals ruling which overturned similar same-sex marriage bans in Idaho and Nevada. Same-sex marriage advocates said that the 9th Circuit ruling would most likely lead to an overturn of Alaska’s same-sex marriage ban because it was similar to the bans in Idaho and Nevada.
Caitlin Shortell, one of the attorneys pushing for the ban to be overturned, said that she is just beginning to absorb the news of the judge’s decision, saying: “We’re completely overjoyed. It’s an immediate injunction from further enforcement of the law, so people are going to start getting married. It’s been a long time coming. It’s justice and equality in Alaska.”
Read more about the story at The Huffington Post.
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