Gay rights advocates on Tuesday cheered
a federal judge's ruling declaring Oklahoma's ban on gay marriage
unconstitutional.
U.S. District Judge Terence Kern put
his 68-page ruling on hold, pending an appeal.
(Related: Federal
judge strikes down Oklahoma's gay marriage ban.)
Evan Wolfson, founder and president of
Freedom to Marry, the nation's largest group devoted to the issue of
marriage equality, cheered the ruling.
“This is a tremendous day for loving
and committed same-sex couples and their families in Oklahoma,
building on the momentum of eight other states that ended their
restrictions on marriage for same-sex couples in 2013,” Evan
Wolfson said in an e-mailed statement. “The federal district judge
has done the right thing by affirming that marriage is a fundamental
freedom for all people, gay and non-gay – for all of us who believe
in liberty and fairness. As the case makes its way up through the
courts, we will continue to do the work of having conversations about
why marriage matters and creating a climate for victory when the
Supreme Court eventually takes the freedom to marry case that brings
national resolution. The momentum for the freedom to marry will
continue as we win more hearts and minds, working to bring the
freedom to marry throughout the country.”
Chad Griffin, president of the Human
Rights Campaign (HRC), added: “Judge Kern has come to the
conclusion that so many have before him – that the fundamental
equality of lesbian and gay couples is guaranteed by the United
States Constitution.”