Is it the victory gay married couples were looking for in Missouri?
The answer is a resounding YES!
Jackson County Circuit Judge J. Dale Youngs sided with the couples that brought forth the case against the state of Missouri. The Plaintiffs argument stated that "their rights to equal protection and due process are being violated by Missouri's ban on gay marriage. Youngs said the couples deserve the same recognition as opposite-sex couples who married in other states … and state laws banning the unions singled out gay couples for no logical reason."
This was not a court case to allow gay marriages to be performed in the state, but instead for existing marriages that had been performed outside of Missouri to be accepted and acknowledged in the state. Friday's ruling was not baby steps in the fight, but a leap forward, especially for the existing couples. "The order means such couples will be eligible to sign up for a wide range of tax, health insurance, veterans and other benefits now afforded to opposite-sex married couples."
"We're gratified that the court recognized that married same-sex couples and their families are no different than other couples, and that the Constitution requires them to be treated equally," ACLU attorney Tony Rothert said.
Same-sex marriage is now legal in 19 states and the District of Columbia. The ACLU has cases pending against 13 other states with such bans, including five cases currently before federal appeals courts.
Do you think this is a positive step in the right direction for Missouri? Do you think other states would do the same before allowing same-sex marriages to be performed in those states?