Same-sex marriage in Illinois, at least in Cook County, became a reality yesterday.
Illinois' Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act was to take effect in June, a result of it being passed in a special session last fall. The judge's ruling circumvented that, but applies only to Cook County. Coleman had previously ruled that if one partner was suffering from a life-threatening illness, the couple did not have to wait until June to marry.
As one might expect, Cook County Clerk David Orr, who was the defendant in the suit, performed the first marriage, after having the 24-hour waiting period waived. He's long been a supporter of marriage equality, as have Mayor Rahm Emanuel (at least he gets some things right), and of course, Gov. Pat Quinn, who called on the rest of Illinois counties to follow suit.
So, it's here, the state is still on the map, Lake Michigan has not overflowed its shores, and even the buses are running -- at least, as reliably as they ever do.
Who knew?
Via Box Turtle Bulletin.
Giddy same-sex couples began rushing to the Daley Center Friday to apply for marriage licenses, after U.S. District Court Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman issued her ruling.
“There is no reason to delay further when no opposition has been presented to this Court, and committed gay and lesbian couples have already suffered from the denial of their fundamental right to marry,” Coleman wrote.
Illinois' Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act was to take effect in June, a result of it being passed in a special session last fall. The judge's ruling circumvented that, but applies only to Cook County. Coleman had previously ruled that if one partner was suffering from a life-threatening illness, the couple did not have to wait until June to marry.
As one might expect, Cook County Clerk David Orr, who was the defendant in the suit, performed the first marriage, after having the 24-hour waiting period waived. He's long been a supporter of marriage equality, as have Mayor Rahm Emanuel (at least he gets some things right), and of course, Gov. Pat Quinn, who called on the rest of Illinois counties to follow suit.
So, it's here, the state is still on the map, Lake Michigan has not overflowed its shores, and even the buses are running -- at least, as reliably as they ever do.
Who knew?
Via Box Turtle Bulletin.
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