Same-sex couples challenge Arizona’s ban on gay marriage
Source: Reuters
By Reuters
Thursday, March 13, 2014 14:19 EDT
PHOENIX (Reuters) – A group of same-sex couples in Arizona filed a federal lawsuit on Thursday to challenge the state’s ban on gay marriage, arguing that it violates the equal protection clause of the U.S. Constitution, court documents showed.
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Phoenix by seven same-sex couples and two people whose same-sex partners had died, was the latest of a series of legal actions across the nation challenging such state bans.
“Every day that same-sex couples in Arizona are denied marriage, the government sends a message that their families are not worthy of equal dignity and respect,” Jennifer Pizer, one of the attorneys who filed the legal action, said in a statement.
The lawsuit comes as gay rights advocates gain momentum in their fight to legalize same-sex marriage. Federal judges have recently struck down gay marriage bans in states including Utah and Texas. Such rulings have been put on hold pending appeals.
Read more: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/03/13/same-sex-couples-challenge-arizonas-ban-on-gay-marriage/