Gay Couples Across The Nation Still Denied Right To Marry Due To Public Employees’ Religious Beliefs

Fourteen magistrates in North Carolina are refusing to marry same-sex couples. They are the latest in a string of taxpayer-funded government employees citing their “sincerely held religious beliefs” for doing so. 

Even though the Supreme Court ruled that marriage equality is legal across the country, 14 magistrates in North Carolina have chosen to not perform same-sex marriages by taking advantage of a recusal law that passed last month. They are citing a “sincerely held religious objection” for their recusal. According to the Charlotte Observer, those magistrates will not be able to perform civil marriages for any couple, gay or straight, for at least six months.

For those of you wondering how this is possible, the state’s general assembly overrode a gubernatorial veto of Senate Bill 2, allowing civil magistrates to refuse to perform any marriage of which they disapprove on religious grounds. Keep in mind, magistrates are taxpayer-funded government employees.

The law in North Carolina says, “Every magistrate has the right to recuse from performing all lawful marriages under this Chapter based on sincerely held religious objection.”

The Daily Beast notes that a similar excuse was used to refuse interracial couples from marrying nearly a decade after the Supreme Court struck down interracial marriage bans.

When Carol Ann and Thomas Person walked into a courthouse to get married (note, a court house, and not a church), two magistrates refused to marry them because of their sincerely held religious objection. Carol Ann said one of the magistrates even “took out a Bible and began to lecture us about their religious views and why Thomas and I should not be together.”

While most same-sex couples have been getting married without a problem, some are still having challenges with getting marriage licenses from taxpayer-funded government employees.

A video of a Kentucky county clerk denying a male couple their marriage license has gone viral this week. The clerk can be heard telling the couple they need to go to another county.

In Ohio, Municipal Court Judge C. Allen McConnell refused to marry two women because of his Christian beliefs. He released the following statement:

“On Monday, July 6, I declined to marry a non-traditional couple during my duties assignment. The declination was based upon my personal and Christian beliefs established over many years. I apologize to the couple for the delay they experienced and wish them the best. The court has implemented a process whereby same sex marriages will be accommodated. I will continue to perform traditional marriages during my duties assignment.”

In Texas, a same-sex couple was denied a marriage license every day until they filed a federal lawsuit. Why? 

“I am grateful that the First Amendment continues to protect the sincerely held religious beliefs of public servants like me. That has not changed since last Friday,” claimed county clerk Katie Lang in Hood County.

Even though the LGBT community won the right to marry, the battle is not over. The issue is sure to be a hot topic during the 2016 presidential election since the GOP candidates have been very vocal about their opposition to the ruling. 

 

Image by Elvert Barnes via Flickr and a CC license