New York denies same-sex marriage licences

DOZENS of same-sex couples lined up outside New York city clerk’s office to obtain marriage licences yesterday, but were turned away with a letter explaining that gay marriages were illegal in the state.

The city’s top lawyer has ruled that local law prohibits gay marriage, and Mayor Michael Bloomberg vowed to enforce the law. New York state Attorney General Eliot Spitzer also said that gay weddings were illegal, but one small-town mayor has conducted gay marriages and another plans to try to obtain licence.

Mara Gottlieb, aged 33, and Camille Gonzalez, aged 38, were first in line at the New York City clerk’s office. “We’re disappointed, but we think it’s important for people to come here,” Ms Gottlieb said. “We want the politicians to know that this isn’t going away.” Mr Spitzer’s legal opinion said current state law prohibits same-sex weddings, but the attorney general said he would leave it to the courts to decide if the law is constitutional.