On January 2nd in Hattiesburg five LGBT couples applied for marriage licenses. Sara and Lynn, Kristen and Jenna, Leiana and Alison, Amanda and Barbara (Bee), and Rolanda and Dawn. All five couples were denied. Watch their story here:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHKDZjuUjPU[/youtube]
You can send a message of support to the couples here.
New coverage from the Jackson Clarion-Ledger:
Five same-sex couples from Mississippi requested — and were denied — marriage licenses from the Forrest County Circuit Clerk’s office as part of the WE DO Campaign.
The campaign is designed to raise awareness of the Southern states’ treatment of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender citizens, said the Rev. Jasmine Beach-Ferrara, executive director of the Campaign for Southern Equality which is overseeing the WE DO Campaign.
“The law in the state of Mississippi does not allow me to issue this,” said Forrest County Circuit Clerk Lou Ellen Adams, as she refused to issue the licenses to all five couples — the first instances in her 16-year career she was ever forced to deny a marriage license.
And coverage from the Hattiesburg American:
Rolanda Boyd, 45, and Dawn Edwards, 33, of Petal have been together for nine years.
“I’m in love with her and I’m proud of her, and today we wanted to make a stand,” Boyd said. “It’s just time. We have a 10-year-old daughter and we want the same equality a man and woman have.”
Boyd has hopes that same-gender couples will be able to get married soon for her daughter’s sake.
“(I hope) that my little girl will grow up knowing that it’s OK to love who you want to love,” she said.
You can support the WE DO Campaign here.
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