Admittedly, it makes for a lousy march. Nobody wants to get together to chant in the streets about divorce, alimony, and the various other legal arrangements that must be made when a marriage ends. But, it is the flip side of same sex marriage, and it continues to be a sticking point for Americans that live in states that don’t have marriage equality.
Bonnie and Margie Nichols were married in 2009 in Iowa. However, when they tried to get divorced in their hometown in Nebraska, their request was denied. Nebraska does not allow same sex marriage (though a case challenging that law is pending before the courts). Because it does not allow marriage, it has no legal basis to dissolve such a union. A judge in Lancaster County refused their request, and the Nebraska Supreme Court refused to consider the case because it was appealed on a conditional order and not a final appeal.
Whenever a new state embraces marriage equality, it causes a rush to the altar that is both breathtaking and heartwarming. However, it also opens the Pandora’s box of marriage strife that can lead to divorce. While nobody started the marriage equality fight for the right to end a marriage, having the legal ability to dissolve a union that no longer works is just another right that is routinely denied to couples that live in states without same sex marriage.
