Leading the way for GLBT rights yet again...
Massachusetts, the first state in the nation to legalize gay marriage, has become the first to challenge the constitutionality of a federal law that defines marriage as the union of a man and a woman, saying Congress intruded into a matter that should be left to individual states.
The suit said that more than 16,000 same-sex couples have married in Massachusetts since gay marriage became legal in the state in 2004 "and the security and stability of families has been strengthened in important ways throughout the state."
"Despite these developments, same-sex couples in Massachusetts are still denied essential rights and protections because the federal Defense of Marriage Act [DOMA] interferes with the Commonwealth's authority to define and regulate marriage," the lawsuit said.
Boston Globe
I like Attorney General Martha Coakley, and look forward to her news conference in a few minutes. I don't have a lot to say about this but wanted to get the news out as this could be a pretty important step.
Also from the article, which I find sort of interesting:
The lawsuit questions the constitutionality of Section 3 of the law, which defines the word "marriage" for the purpose of federal law as "a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife." It does not challenge the constitutionality of Section 2, which provides that states are not required to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states.
Hmmm. Stay tuned!
Meanwhile...Globe also reporting that Maine has accumulated enough signatures to put marriage on the ballot. Fire up your engines, Mainers, this could get ugly. I am relieved that MA was spared this fate, and frankly I think that the bigots have missed their window for good here.
See here for Maine details and links:
Spud's diary