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V o l u m e 21 ♦ N u m b e r 2 ♦ N o v e m b e r 21, 2003
In our own words
As World AIDS Day approaches,
long-term survivors and activists
share how HIV has changed their lives
P o r t la n d , O r e g o n
FREE
PHOTO BY TIMOTHY
Through adoption foster families
artificial insemination and surrogacy,
Portland gays and lesbians
are learning how to become parents
Margaret H. Marshall, said: “The Massachusetts
he Massachusetts Supreme G x irt has
G institution affirms the dignity and equality of all
finessed the issue o f gay marriage. It
individuals. It forbids the creation of second-class
agreed that same-sex couples have the
citizens...the commonwealth has failed to identi­
right to wed hut left it to legislators to
determine how that will be carried out. If gave fy any constitutionally adequate reason for deny­
ing civil marriage to same-sex couples.”
them 180 days to do so. T h e approach is simi­
Reviewing state marriage law and its imple­
lar to one taken by the Vermont courT in
mentation, the court summarized, “ In short, for
addressing that same issue.
all the joy and solemnity that normally attend
A decision on the case, known as
a marriage, (the law| governing entrance to
Gixidridge vs. Department o f Public Health,
marriage is a licensing law."
had been expected months ago but wasn’t
T h e court rejected the state’s argument that
procreation is the primary purpose o f marriage.
It said, “T h e exclusive and permanent commit-
T
State Supreme Court
legalizes same-sex marriage
B> B ob Rot hr
merit o f the marriage partners to one another”
is the essential qualification for marriage.
The decision cited “ the immeasurable
advantages that flow from the assurance o f ‘a
stable family structure in which children will
he reared, educated and socialized’ " and found
no rational basis “ to penalize children by
depriving them of state benefits" because of
their parents’ sexual orientation. “T h e marriage
ban works a deep and scarring hardship on a
very real segment o f the community for no
rational reason.”
Continued on Page 22