A lesbian couple together more than 30
years married Thursday in Texas.
According to the Austin
American-Statesman, Sarah Goodfriend and Suzanne Bryant exchanged
vows outside the Travis County Clerk's Office. The ceremony was
presided over by Rabbi Kerry Baker.
The women were denied a marriage
license eight years ago.
On Tuesday, Travis County Probate Judge
Guy Herman struck down Texas' ban on gay marriage as part of an
estate fight.
Sonemaly Phrasavath of Austin asked
Herman to recognize her eight-year relationship to Stella Powell, who
died of cancer in June without a valid will, as a common-law
marriage.
(Related: Judge
declares Texas' gay marriage ban unconstitutional.)
Travis County Clerk Dana DeBeauvoir
called Herman's ruling “a step in the right direction” at the
time but declined to say whether her office would begin issuing
marriage licenses to gay couples.
Goodfriend and Bryant asked state
District Judge David Wahlberg to order DeBeauvoir to issue the couple
a marriage license and wave the customary 72-hour waiting period.
“It's very exciting,” Bryant told
the American-Statesman
before the ceremony. “My little one was worried about missing her
history class. I said we'll be making history.”
The couple cited Goodfriend's diagnosis
and treatment for ovarian cancer in arguing that the state's
continued refusal to issue them a marriage license was causing them
irreparable harm. Wahlberg agreed: “Given the urgency and other
circumstances in this case, and the ongoing violation of plaintiffs'
rights, the court has concluded that good cause exists.”
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a
Republican, on Wednesday asked the Texas
Supreme court to stay Herman's ruling as he pursues an appeal.