Arizona gay marriage legal; couples to marry immediately
October 17, 2014 10:56 AM   Subscribe

"...there is no 'gay exception' to our U.S. Constitution's guarantees of liberty and equality for all, including the freedom to celebrate love, commitment, and family with the person of one's choice in marriage."
posted by MrVisible (84 comments total) 29 users marked this as a favorite
 
Obyeah: yeah!
posted by MartinWisse at 10:59 AM on October 17, 2014 [1 favorite]


I can finally be proud of my state. The county I'm in (Pima) has said they will start issuing licenses Monday!
posted by lizjohn at 11:01 AM on October 17, 2014 [4 favorites]


Yaaayyyy! *Muppet flail*
posted by skycrashesdown at 11:01 AM on October 17, 2014 [19 favorites]


I can't stop smiling. It's here! Equal marriage is here!
posted by mixedmetaphors at 11:03 AM on October 17, 2014 [4 favorites]


There may not be a gay exception, but there are lots of exceptional gays in Arizona - and now they can get married if they want to! Congratulations!
posted by rtha at 11:03 AM on October 17, 2014 [8 favorites]


"The world isn't really coming to an end, this is just a really good day for equal rights."

I am sitting in my office trying not to bawl, because I have an advising appointment showing up, oh, now, but damn.
posted by joycehealy at 11:03 AM on October 17, 2014 [5 favorites]


whaaaaaaaaaaaaattt? Nice!

HAPPY FRIDAY, EVERYONE!
posted by Theta States at 11:04 AM on October 17, 2014 [2 favorites]


Yaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!
posted by Flipping_Hades_Terwilliger at 11:04 AM on October 17, 2014 [1 favorite]


The decision not to appeal shows some positive qualities in Arizona conservatives as well.

Congratulations soon-to-be-wed Arizona couples!
posted by 256 at 11:05 AM on October 17, 2014 [4 favorites]


The AG's press conference was really good, talking about where the reason he wasn't going to appeal was that as a conservative, he does not believe it is a conservative value to waste the taxpayer's money any more.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 11:07 AM on October 17, 2014 [37 favorites]


Wow, that AZ AG really kept his dignity in telling the conservatives to STFU.

Yay AZ!
posted by notsnot at 11:08 AM on October 17, 2014 [3 favorites]


And tomorrow is our annual Tucson Pride celebration. I think it's going to be a wee bit nuts.
posted by MrVisible at 11:09 AM on October 17, 2014 [22 favorites]


Congrats, AZ!
posted by benito.strauss at 11:16 AM on October 17, 2014


At this point I think the only straw left for anti-gay-marriage folks to clutch is that a Republican President in 2016 could combine with a Republican-controlled senate to tip the Supreme Court into one that would endorse statewide bans. But that gets harder and harder to do the more "facts on the ground" there are out there (and as public opinion continues its rapid evolution on the issue). If the Supremes take the issue up in the next couple of years I think it will be all over.
posted by yoink at 11:16 AM on October 17, 2014 [3 favorites]


Christ, Sheriff Joe must be having a fucking coronary.

Congrats AZ, and any soon-to-be happy couples in AZ.
posted by marienbad at 11:22 AM on October 17, 2014 [7 favorites]


I have a friend in AZ whose mom got married to her girlfriend this summer. The marriage was in Hawaii, but of course it wasn't recognized. I found out about the ruling by seeing my friend's excited tweets about telling her mom that mom's marriage was now legally recognized in her home state.
posted by immlass at 11:27 AM on October 17, 2014 [1 favorite]


From the article:

"Today, we grieve. We grieve for the children who now have no chance of growing up with a mom and a dad...."

No chance? Wha.... That's the dumbest argument I've heard all year. Fucking insane.

Congrats AZ!
posted by Benway at 11:28 AM on October 17, 2014 [9 favorites]


\o/
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 11:29 AM on October 17, 2014


"We grieve for the children who now have no chance of growing up with a mom and a dad...."

This is silly. Arizona is not Massachusetts, which has seen a precipitous drop in population growth ever since the MA Supreme Court ordered all citizens to gay marry back in 2004.
posted by General Tonic at 11:36 AM on October 17, 2014 [7 favorites]


It is very likely, incidentally, that same sex marriage will also be legal in Alaska in ... 24 minutes.
posted by kyrademon at 11:36 AM on October 17, 2014 [2 favorites]


Obligatory, but very sincere

\o/
posted by Sophie1 at 11:38 AM on October 17, 2014


"We grieve for the children who now have no chance of growing up with a mom and a dad...."

We grieve for the children who now have a much reduced chance of being stuck with parents who are deeply unhappy together because societal repression has forced them into a passionless marriage. Too many children today don't get to see their parents' vicious divorce due to one spouse or the other realizing late in life that they're really, actually gay, and that it wasn't a phase that would pass after they married someone who they liked but didn't lust after in pursuit of societal acceptance.

We hope that, at some point in the future, we can bring much more repressive societal pressures to bear to make sure that children don't have to endure watching their parents cultivate healthy, respectful relationships based on passion, attraction, love, and consideration with people they actually want to be with.

We're considering sending in airstrikes. Meanwhile, please enjoy your sinful, disgusting gay marriage.
posted by MrVisible at 11:39 AM on October 17, 2014 [18 favorites]


WAIT WAIT EVERYONE

if you listen really closely you can hear the sound of dinosaurs grinding their teeth

IT IS THE SOUND OF JOY
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 11:39 AM on October 17, 2014 [15 favorites]


will there be gay marriages on the skywalk thingie overlooking the grand canyon?
posted by bruce at 11:46 AM on October 17, 2014


There will be gay marriages everywhere. Report to your nearest Gay Marriage Centre and someone will be found for you.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 11:50 AM on October 17, 2014 [21 favorites]


!
posted by drezdn at 11:51 AM on October 17, 2014


In the words of our High Lord Eternal Frederic Hg, yeeeeeeah.
posted by Devonian at 11:56 AM on October 17, 2014


The number of states in which it is legal to marry myself has grown by one more! I'm so proud of myself.
posted by blucevalo at 11:58 AM on October 17, 2014 [3 favorites]




That's an unusual pragmatic behavior by a Republican AG, at least one in a state as nutty as Arizona. And hurrah for all the new couples!
posted by tavella at 12:00 PM on October 17, 2014


The Wikipedia page Same-sex marriage law in the United States by state has been updated, and now states "Currently same sex couples in 30 states may obtain marriage licenses." The map is looking better all the time.
posted by filthy light thief at 12:01 PM on October 17, 2014


Ugh, when is the 6th Circuit going to rule? I will always be a proud Michigander, but seriously, can we at least be in front of Nebraska or Mississippi?
posted by tivalasvegas at 12:02 PM on October 17, 2014 [1 favorite]


I can finally be proud of my state.

Not to rain on your parade, but I think you could be proud of your state if the state voted to allow gay marriage. As it stands we can all be proud of the court system. (fiscal conservatives can be proud of your AG). Still a state of majority bigots.

(I speak as a former AZ resident).
posted by el io at 12:06 PM on October 17, 2014 [3 favorites]


I've no doubt you can be in front of Nebraska, we have no pending marriage equality case to the best of my knowledge, and in that one it sounds like the state supreme court could find procedural grounds to avoid answering that question in this term.
posted by jepler at 12:06 PM on October 17, 2014


is a woman from Michigan a Michigoose?
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 12:06 PM on October 17, 2014 [5 favorites]


6th circuit will be interesting. The conventional wisdom seems to be that there was one yes, one no, and one wavery guy who seemed to buy into at least some of the anti-gay marriage arguments. If they haven't already decided, you've got to think wavery guy is at least going to be influenced by the other circuits.
posted by tavella at 12:07 PM on October 17, 2014 [1 favorite]


fff: Michigander.
posted by el io at 12:08 PM on October 17, 2014


But if the Circuit that covers Nebraska rules the non-asshole way, doesn't that mean it's legal there? Or am I misunderstanding how it works?
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 12:08 PM on October 17, 2014


The temporary stay should be lifted from Alaska as of ten minutes ago.

30 states plus D.C.; 61.2% of the U.S. population now lives where same sex marriage is legal. Florida will likely be added to the list in 3 months, adding another 19,552,860 people to that.
posted by kyrademon at 12:09 PM on October 17, 2014 [2 favorites]


el io, was a joke... gander / goose / Michigander / ______
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 12:09 PM on October 17, 2014 [1 favorite]




I've no doubt you can be in front of Nebraska, we have no pending marriage equality case to the best of my knowledge,

Nichols v. Nichols. Nebraska is a marriage recognition case, but Nebraska is also in the 8th circuit, so the affirmative marriage cases in that circuit would theoretically apply in Nebraska.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 12:14 PM on October 17, 2014


Is gay marriage legal in Nevada? I figure it'd be a huge business boost to all those chapels in Vegas.
posted by jonmc at 12:16 PM on October 17, 2014 [1 favorite]


The Supreme Court denied Alaska’s request for a stay on Friday afternoon.
The move means that same-sex couples can secure marriage licenses immediately.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 12:16 PM on October 17, 2014 [2 favorites]


lizjohn: "The county I'm in (Pima) has said they will start issuing licenses Monday!"

I wonder if these rulings are released on Friday to give local agencies time to break out the Sharpies and copy machines to modify the requisite forms.
posted by fireoyster at 12:20 PM on October 17, 2014 [2 favorites]


[cynic] I'm sure the judicial actions to allow same-sex marriage will eliminate homophobia just as thoroughly as the decisions striking down bans on mixed marriage eliminated racism. [/cynic]
posted by oneswellfoop at 12:25 PM on October 17, 2014 [1 favorite]


I was so pleased to read this news this morning. I'm never very optimistic about Arizona and I thought we'd be among the final states to get on-board.

But yay! In your face, Maricopa county!
posted by Squeak Attack at 12:26 PM on October 17, 2014 [1 favorite]


Interesting that this story is not mentioned anywhere on the Foxnews website. I was hoping to enjoy extremely bigoted raving comments sections. Oh well, dark lining on a silver, silver cloud. :D
posted by umberto at 12:27 PM on October 17, 2014 [1 favorite]


Its going to be really hard for the Supreme Court to say "nearly every other court in the country is wrong." Not impossible, mind you, but really hard.

Love marches on!
posted by Joey Michaels at 12:28 PM on October 17, 2014 [2 favorites]


I'm sure the judicial actions to allow same-sex marriage will eliminate homophobia just as thoroughly as the decisions striking down bans on mixed marriage eliminated racism.

Actually, a lot of talk in the LGBT community is how we are winning these battles but the actual war for equality is FAR from over. The official sanctioning of pair-couplings is a lovely start, but as the whole "religious freedom" movement shows, there is a strong backlash against Teh Gayz happening , and it's going to continue to be a long fight.
posted by hippybear at 12:29 PM on October 17, 2014 [2 favorites]


No chance? Wha.... That's the dumbest argument I've heard all year. Fucking insane.

Center for Arizona Policy President Cathi Herrod is just frustrated at the reduced pool of male children.
posted by urbanwhaleshark at 12:32 PM on October 17, 2014


I'm sure the judicial actions to allow same-sex marriage will eliminate homophobia just as thoroughly as the decisions striking down bans on mixed marriage eliminated racism.

Eliminating homophobia qua homophobia isn't the point and never was. Eliminating state-sanctioned homophobia is.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 12:33 PM on October 17, 2014 [5 favorites]


The AG's press conference was really good, talking about where the reason he wasn't going to appeal was that as a conservative, he does not believe it is a conservative value to waste the taxpayer's money any more.

Which is exactly correct, given that the 9th Circuit has already struck down multiple bans and appeals to SCOTUS were denied cert. This is also why the District court judge refused to stay his ruling -- he knows that the 9th and SCOTUS have already agreed with his ruling, so there was almost no chance for a reversal and remand. You only grant a stay if there's a chance that the ruling could be reversed.

The exact same thing is happening in AK -- appeal to District, District upheld. In this case, the Circuit put in a temporary stay to allow AK to try to ask SCOTUS for a stay. SCOTUS said no, and the 9th has made it clear that it's going nowhere, so that stay is gone and boom.

So, really, it's down to the 5th, 6th, 11th and 8th Circuits. Once someone does the paperwork, Montana will be next -- they're in the 9th Circuit, the case is Rolanda v. Fox, and the plaintiffs have filed for summary judgement based on all the other overturns in the 9th on Wednesday.
posted by eriko at 12:38 PM on October 17, 2014 [2 favorites]


Interesting that this story is not mentioned anywhere on the Foxnews website. I was hoping to enjoy extremely bigoted raving comments sections. Oh well, dark lining on a silver, silver cloud. :D

As I mention here frequently, I monitor the redstate site to keep up with the opposition. It's been remarkable. The principal guy behind that is Erick Erickson and he's a massive homophobe and religious nutter. So whenever I want to read about the teaparty perspective, I visit redstate and either him or one of the other neanderthals obliges with some screed. But here's the remarkable thing: ever since gay marriage gained momentum a few years ago, redstate went mum on the whole gay issue. Usually they are super quick to pick up on this court or that court declaring this or that, but on gay marriage: crickets. Because: there are no good news to report - good for bigots and homophobes that is. They're getting their asses kicked so thoroughly, they've effectively been completely silenced. I go over there after every one of these decisions, and luxuriate in the mute fury and apoplectic silence - the only sound is the ever increasing pressure on intracranial veins, I'm waiting for a gigantic collective stroke there or Scanners-like head explosion.
posted by VikingSword at 12:39 PM on October 17, 2014 [13 favorites]


I wonder if these rulings are released on Friday to give local agencies time to break out the Sharpies and copy machines to modify the requisite forms.

That's exactly it. Apparently some counties print their own forms, and can start today. Maricopa country (where Phx is) is issuing them today.
posted by lizjohn at 12:40 PM on October 17, 2014


Yeah, I just checked over at National Review's blog, The Corner, which is my go-to schadenfreude site. Crickets. They're currently obsessing about an Ebola Czar?
posted by tivalasvegas at 12:42 PM on October 17, 2014 [2 favorites]


Actually, wait, I just heard on the news that Pima issued their first license an hour ago! So no waiting!
posted by lizjohn at 12:44 PM on October 17, 2014 [2 favorites]


[cynic] I'm sure the judicial actions to allow same-sex marriage will eliminate homophobia just as thoroughly as the decisions striking down bans on mixed marriage eliminated racism. [/cynic]

Anti-gay marriage campaigns often contribute to increases in anti-gay hate crimes. No wonder, since they try to codify inequality.

In the year following their country-wide approval of gay marriage, 2012-2013, France saw a 78% increase in anti-gay hate crimes. The US has seen increases of homophobic hate crimes in the last few yrs, too.

In 2008 Obama's election showed us racists coming out of the woodwork. Now we'll see gay bashers and homophobes raise their heads and cling desperately to the homophobic status quo as they try to slam the closet door closed again.
posted by qi at 12:45 PM on October 17, 2014 [1 favorite]




(They were also the plaintiffs in the case)
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 12:47 PM on October 17, 2014 [1 favorite]


"...whenever I want to read about the teaparty perspective..."

I misread that as 'the tertiary perspective' and it still made sense.
posted by Evilspork at 1:03 PM on October 17, 2014


First lesbian couple in Arizona destroying the institution of marriage.

Just look at them. So intent on destroying society. So dangerous to all manner of current established institutions. So insouciantly rebellious. So adorbs.
posted by MrVisible at 1:08 PM on October 17, 2014 [11 favorites]


Wyoming! (pdf)
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 1:21 PM on October 17, 2014 [4 favorites]


(Wyoming will stay their ruling until 10/23 at 5pm)
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 1:23 PM on October 17, 2014 [1 favorite]


\o/
posted by PROD_TPSL at 1:40 PM on October 17, 2014


We grieve for the children who now have no chance of growing up with a mom and a dad....

I made a similar point in another thread already, but given that divorce is legal in Arizona (no fault, yet!), these jackasses can go pound sand.

Also: Hooray!
posted by Gelatin at 1:49 PM on October 17, 2014 [1 favorite]


So insouciantly rebellious. So adorbs.

And they've been together 58 years!
posted by Blue Jello Elf at 1:53 PM on October 17, 2014 [7 favorites]


And they've been together 58 years!

I wonder if other couples let them go ahead of them in line...

("Oh, you've been waiting for 58 years? Yeah, you should go ahead of me")
posted by el io at 3:07 PM on October 17, 2014 [3 favorites]


I am cackling with glee envisioning Jan Brewer's face
posted by celtalitha at 3:11 PM on October 17, 2014 [3 favorites]


In the year following their country-wide approval of gay marriage, 2012-2013, France saw a 78% increase in anti-gay hate crimes. The US has seen increases of homophobic hate crimes in the last few yrs, too.

In 2008 Obama's election showed us racists coming out of the woodwork. Now we'll see gay bashers and homophobes raise their heads and cling desperately to the homophobic status quo as they try to slam the closet door closed again.


I worry very much about what will happen should Hilary become president.

Also: Congratulations to the Grand Canyon State!
posted by triggerfinger at 4:01 PM on October 17, 2014 [1 favorite]


Huh. It turns out Yahweh v. Sodom is not legal precedent, I guess.
posted by brand-gnu at 4:11 PM on October 17, 2014 [6 favorites]


Several years ago when I was active on the Salon.com comments section, there was a woman who was super, super active there (her comments numbered in the thousands) who was loathed by nearly all the other regular commenters. And by Salon itself, it seemed, as she'd been banned from commenting a number of times but kept coming back under different names, and she said herself that Salon's staff had blocked her from emailing them. Anyway, one of a number of reasons that this woman was so despised was her attitude towards gay marriage. She saw it as the beginning of the end of marriage, said gay marriages weren't real, that gay people only "play house" and "weren't ready for the responsibilities of marriage". She'd repeatedly refer to the "Gay Mafia", claim that gay people were a "privileged class", and claim that any statistics anyone provided from say, CNN reportage, were false and biased, while the insisting that the statistics she provided from anti-gay marriage organizations were completely accurate. The rest of us would point to all the evidence that the tide had turned, that public support for gay marriage was on the rise, that states and countries were gradually making gay marriage legal, that it was not having a damaging effect on the state of marriage, and she was adamant that it was an anomaly and an aberration that would soon correct itself, and declare that she was "on the side of history". She claimed that she donated money to anti-gay marriage organizations and went to demonstrations. Oh, and she insisted she had nothing against gay people and had lots of gay acquaintances and neighbours with whom she was on excellent terms.

That woman has become the personification of anti-gay marriage bigotry for me. Every time another country or U.S. state declares gay marriage legal I think of her choking on her own rage and smile. Can't wait for Ohio especially, as that's where she lived.
posted by orange swan at 4:45 PM on October 17, 2014 [3 favorites]


For Arizona, my org's share line was "Bolo tie the knot." I share this because many of my fellow employees are unfortunately pun deaf.
posted by klangklangston at 4:54 PM on October 17, 2014 [7 favorites]


I am cackling with glee envisioning Jan Brewer's face

Here's How Furious Jan Brewer Is That Same-Sex Marriage Just Came To Arizona
posted by Evilspork at 9:56 PM on October 17, 2014 [1 favorite]


Well whaddya know. This state finally got some good news for once. I voted against the bans, never thinking that they would be toast this soon. I can now smile and laugh every time I see one of those bumper stickers that says "Marriage = 1 man + 1 woman." What I really love is that opposing equal marriage is becoming a losing proposition.

BTW, the AG is lame-duck right now. If he had won his primary you can be damn sure he would have made a lot of noise about appealing.
posted by azpenguin at 12:11 AM on October 18, 2014


!
posted by Jacqueline at 2:44 AM on October 18, 2014


Why are the top 3 related posts for this about Doge?
posted by Jacqueline at 2:45 AM on October 18, 2014 [2 favorites]


so freedom

such equal

wow

(more seriously, probably because "wow" is one of the tags on this post)
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 5:50 AM on October 18, 2014 [5 favorites]


W00t!
posted by Too-Ticky at 11:32 AM on October 18, 2014


Why are the top 3 related posts for this about Doge?

I blame the "wow" tag.
posted by filthy light thief at 3:05 PM on October 18, 2014 [1 favorite]


Here's How Furious Jan Brewer Is That Same-Sex Marriage Just Came To Arizona
“It is not only disappointing, but also deeply troubling, that unelected federal judges can dictate the laws of individual states, create rights based on their personal policy preferences and supplant the will of the people in an area traditionally left to the states for more than two hundred years," Brewer ranted, ignoring Supreme Court rulings like Loving v. Virginia.
She can rant like this because she's not eligible for re-election, so she can make noise and rile up the crowds, while Doug Ducey, the Republican candidate, can distance himself and say "she said it, not me."

But I'm not following that race, and ballotpedia doesn't have a ton on his politics - has he said anything on this topic?
posted by filthy light thief at 3:13 PM on October 18, 2014


Doug Ducey's circumspectly-worded, two-sentence statement: "Attorney General (Tom) Horne made the right decision regarding an appeal. I accept the determination of the courts and will honor their decision."

He's trying to run on a platform prioritizing economic issues over social issues, and deflecting talk of social issues back toward economics in an seeming attempt to not piss off the more liberal independent voters with his beliefs. He opposes both same-sex marriages and civil unions. I particularly dislike his answer here, which avoids answering the question as to whether his own beliefs would trump a (probably hypothetical, sadly) majority of state voters.
posted by mixedmetaphors at 9:50 PM on October 18, 2014


will there be gay marriages on the skywalk thingie overlooking the grand canyon?

Actually, since the Skywalk is owned by the Hualapai, this brings up a question I hadn't ever thought about before: do these court decisions affect lands under tribal jurisdiction, or do tribal governments get to do their own thing?
posted by naoko at 8:09 AM on October 21, 2014 [1 favorite]


do these court decisions affect lands under tribal jurisdiction, or do tribal governments get to do their own thing?

There were tribes in Washington state which had given the go-ahead to same-sex marriages before the state itself had made them legal. I think the tribes get to decide what happens on tribal land for themselves as a general rule.

There are, of course, tensions involving this. The whole "who gets to pursue domestic violence and rape allegations when it's a white person violating a native on tribal land" issue springs to mind. This was only recently resolved, and really only on a theoretical level. The way it's all playing out shows how much tension there is between tribal governments and outside legal authorities.
posted by hippybear at 1:25 AM on October 22, 2014 [1 favorite]


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