A judge in Texas has denied a lesbian couple the right to have a commitment ceremony in a public space. I guess this shouldn't be too big of a shock--after all, this is the same state where gay men have to stage sit-ins for marriage equality and you can be fired from your job for being gay. Read on...
The unidentified couple requested to have a ceremony at Fort Belknap in June. Young County Judge John Bullock denied their request because same-sex couples do not have marriage rights in Texas, and their application called the event a wedding.
"There's been weddings out there, heterosexual weddings," Bullock said to KDAF News. He said he denied the request because he "didn't think it was in the best interest of the fort or for Young County."
However the county commission stepped in and voted 4-1 to overturn the judge's decision. Commissioner Stacey Rogers said there was little harm in allowing the couple to have a commitment ceremony on the fort's grounds.
"Even though it may say wedding, this is just a ceremonial process. It's nothing legally binding. It's just like a group of family or friends going out there, and you're denying access to public property," he said.
Thank goodness someone possessed some common sense; the judge tried to pull a legal okey doke through the county commission, but they rejected his proposal. The couple decided to have their ceremony somewhere else.
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