An Ohio judge on Monday refused to
marry a lesbian couple.
Toledo Municipal Judge Allen McConnell
cited his Christian beliefs in explaining his reasons for denying the
request.
“On Monday, July 6, I declined to
marry a non-traditional couple during my duties assignment,”
McConnell said in a statement issued Wednesday. “The declination
was based upon my personal and Christian beliefs established over
many years. I apologized to the couple for the delay they
experienced and wish them the best.”
Gay couples started marrying in Ohio
and 13 additional states after the Supreme Court ruled on June 26
that restrictive state marriage bans violate gay couples'
constitutional rights. Ohio was among the four states directly
involved in the case.
The ceremony was performed by Judge
William Connelly, Jr., Reuters
reported.
McConnell said that he intends to
continue performing “traditional marriages” and he seeks an
advisory opinion from the Ohio Supreme Court about whether he can
“opt out” from performing civil marriages.
The Toledo Blade named one of
the women, Carolyn Wilson, whom they quoted as saying that her wife
prefers to remain unnamed for fear of discrimination at work.