Louisiana Anti-Marriage Amendment Struck Down; Harbinger of Things to Come
Today, a state judge in Louisiana threw out a Louisiana constitutional amendment banning gay marriage passed by voters last month, ruling that the amendment was flawed because it had more than one purpose: banning not only same sex marriage but other forms of partner recognition, such as civil unions. (The text of the amendment appears below.)
Statement by Matt Foreman, Executive Director, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force:
"All across the country, the forces of religious and political intolerance are trying to do the same thing they did in Louisiana - mislead voters about what's at stake. They say they are only interested in preserving marriage as a heterosexual institution. In reality, the measures they are putting forward not only seek to forbid same sex marriage, they also seek to eliminate all other forms of partner recognition, such as domestic partnerships. This is true in 8 of the 11 anti-marriage amendments on the ballot in November 2.
Clearly, this is about more than 'defending marriage' (from what they cannot explain) it is about denying any protections or benefits to any kind of relationships outside of marriage. They do not care about real people’s lives – real families and their children - only their own narrow view of the world.
We know these same forces will be back next year, but at the very least, today's court decision means that they will not be able to again mislead voters about what’s truly at stake. We look forward to working with Equality Louisiana and its allies and beating our opponents in round 2."
Text of the amendment approved by Louisiana voters on September 18:
"Marriage in the state of Louisiana shall consist only of the union of one man and one woman. No official or court of the state of Louisiana shall construe this constitution or any state law to require that marriage or the legal incidents thereof be conferred upon any member of a union other than the union of one man and one woman. A legal status identical or substantially similar to that of marriage for unmarried individuals shall not be valid or recognized. No official or court of the state of Louisiana shall recognize any marriage contracted in any other jurisdiction which is not the union of one man and one woman."
