By John Mack Freeman
After all the progress in same sex marriage over the summer and early fall, there hadn’t been that much new progress in recent weeks. A lot of that changed with marriage equality hitting three more states for good this week. A slow march towards full equality, but at least one that is going consistently in the right direction.
South Carolina-A federal judge found South Carolina’s state constitutional ban on same sex marriage to be unconstitutional. Though appealed to the 4th Circuit and Supreme Court for an immediate stay, both courts refused to grant it (perennial anti-LGBT justices Thomas and Scalia noted they would have stayed the decision). Same sex marriages have begun to take place in the Palmetto state, and to editorialize slightly, this Southern boy couldn’t be happier.
Kansas-Although things continue to remain complicated in Kansas, same sex marriage is now the law of the land there. About a quarter of the counties in Kansas have proceeded with issuing same sex marriage licenses. Governor Sam Brownback has vowed to keep fighting against same sex marriages while the ACLU has said they will take the state to court to force all the counties in the state to issue the licenses. However, they grudgingly admit that those who are currently getting married are legally married, so there is that at least. I’m sure the rancor will continue until the courts finally puts its final foot down on this.
Montana-A federal judge overturned the state’s marriage ban this week, bringing the state in line with a previous Circuit Court ruling that the state falls under. Because there is no waiting period for marriage licenses in Montana, same sex couples were able to immediately begin getting married.
