San Francisco defies same-sex marriage ban

Marriage licences have been issued to nearly 100 same-sex couples in San Francisco, although the practical value of the licences was unclear.

Newly elected mayor Gavin Newsom, directed the county clerk to accept applications from gay and lesbian partners for the first time – an act of political and legal defiance aimed at challenging California’s ban on same-sex marriages.

So many couples took the city up on its surprise offer that officials had to turn away many applicants.

In all, the clerk’s office issued 95 marriage licences to same-sex partners yesterday, and 87 couples took their vows on the spot.

“Even people who are anti-gay marriage might shift their thinking now and realise it’s most harmful to take something away when someone already has it,” said Virginia Garcia, 40, after wedding Sheila Sernovitz, 50, her partner of 14 years.

The city’s bold move, however, caused an outcry from elected officials and groups opposed to marriage rights for same-sex couples.

One group, Campaign for California Families, said it would ask a Superior Court judge for a temporary restraining order that would stop the city from granting any more licences. The organisation is also seeking a ruling from the court declaring the city’s actions illegal.

“Those who received the marriage licences need to know that they are worthless,” said Mathew Staver, whose Florida-based law firm, Liberty Counsel, is representing the plaintiffs. “We are confident that they will be invalidated as soon as a judge is able to issue an order.”

San Francisco officials acknowledged they might have a long court fight ahead of them, but insisted that the licences were legally binding.

In Massachusetts, the Legislature suspended debate on a proposed gay marriage ban after two days of tense negotiations.

The constitutional convention will resume on March 11 when lawmakers will again grapple with the divisive issue. Under a ruling by the state’s highest court issued in November, the nation’s first state-sanctioned gay marriages are scheduled to begin taking place across the state in mid-May.