The Athens City Council on Tuesday
unanimously approved a resolution supporting marriage equality in
Ohio.
Athens is only the second city
government in Ohio behind Columbus to unanimously approved such a
resolution.
The resolution reads: “Athens is an
open and inclusive community that values diversity and celebrates the
many contributions that the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender
community makes to the life of our city … Athens City Council
supports full equality and protections for the LGBT community.”
Columbus approved a similar resolution
last month. At the time, Michael Premo of Why Marriage Matters Ohio,
a statewide campaign to increase support for allowing gay and lesbian
couples to marry in the Buckeye State, stated that Columbus is the
“first municipality in the state of Ohio” to approve a resolution
in support of marriage equality.
Chris Geggie of Why Marriage Matters
Ohio was present during Tuesday's meeting.
“I really thank you so much for
helping us to secure the freedom to marry [for] all loving and
committed couples and for your work to make Athens a place where all
couples are appreciated and respected,” Greggie is quoted as saying
by The
Athens News.
Voters in Ohio approved a
constitutional amendment defining marriage as a heterosexual union in
2004. In November, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati
overturned a lower court's ruling striking down the ban as
unconstitutional. The Supreme Court recently agreed to hear an
appeal in the case along with cases challenging similar bans in three
other states.