Home About Chat Users Issues Party Candidates Polling Firms Media News Polls Calendar Key Races United States President Senate House Governors International

New User Account
"A comprehensive, collaborative elections resource." 
Email: Password:

  Same-sex couples line up as D.C. gay marriage law takes effect
NEWS DETAILS
Parent(s) Issue 
ContributorCraverguy 
Last EditedCraverguy  Mar 03, 2010 10:10am
Logged 0
CategoryNews
AuthorKeith L. Alexander and Ann E. Marimow
MediaNewspaper - Washington Post
News DateWednesday, March 3, 2010 03:10:00 PM UTC0:0
DescriptionD.C. Superior Court began accepting marriage license applications from same-sex couples Wednesday morning, a historic milestone for gay couples and activists that was made possible by the city's new gay marriage law.

About 45 couples with their coffee, newspapers and blackberries -- many dressed in blazers and slacks as they planned to go to work after filing an application -- were waiting in line when the court's marriage bureau opened its doors at 8:30 a.m. Employees allowed 10 couples to enter at a time, and had extra personnel on hand to accept the applications.

There were congratulatory hugs, commemorative pens and cupcakes to mark the moment. But it was also a somewhat subdued scene of quiet anticipation as the nation's capital joined five states that allow same-sex marriage.

"I didn't want to get married anywhere else. This is my city standing up for marriage equality," said Rocky Galloway of the District's Chevy Chase neighborhood, who was second in line with his partner of six years, Reggie Stanley.

There were couples from Maryland and Virginia, some who brought their children for the event.

"It means she gets a whole family, so she doesn't feel different from everybody else," said Karinne Providence of Severn, who was joined by her partner Shanic Davidson and the couple's 3-year-old daughter, Pahris Davidson.

A computer glitch slowed down the processing of the couples -- it took 40 minutes to handle the first two -- and the line had stretched to 60 couples by 9 a.m.

Processing the applications will take at least three business days, officials said, which means the earliest that any same-sex marriages will be performed is next Tuesday, March 9.
Share
ArticleRead Full Article

NEWS
Date Category Headline Article Contributor

DISCUSSION