A Utah court for the first time has
recognized a gay couple's relationship as a common-law marriage.
Nicki Bidlack, 41, fought for her
8-year relationship with Sara Clow, 29, to be recognized as a
common-law marriage so that she could access critical benefits for
her 2-year-old son. Clow, who is the biological mother, died from
injuries she sustained from a car accident last year.
On December 4, Bidlack received an
amended birth certificate which lists both women as the boy's
mothers.
“This is what she would have wanted,”
an emotional Bidlack told The
Salt Lake Tribune. “She wanted him from before he was
born. To have her name on it … to have him see her name, even
though she's not here … she would be happy.”
Without the recognition, Clow's estate
and death benefits were not available to Bidlack or her son.
“I feel like he's been denied things
that any other child would have had,” Bidlack said.
Utah is among the eight states that
recognize common-law marriage.