Same-sex Marriage Supporters Protest
Dozens of people gathered outside the Hamilton County Courthouse to protest about gay marriage today. But these folks were not opposed to gay marriages in Tennessee... they believe same-sex marriages should be allowed.
One of the protesters, Ashley Tingey, said, "There are several rights that we don't have. If someone loves someone of the same sex and wants to marry them they can do so, but it's not legally recognized in the state of Tennessee."
In 2006 Tennessee voters overwhelmingly approved defining a legal marriage in the state as between a man and a woman. Eighty-one percent of voters were in favor of banning same-sex marriages.
However Tingey isn't alone. Side-by-side, Nicole Morris and Amy Clark said, "All we want is to have the rights that everybody else has. We don't want anything special. We 're not trying to cause trouble. I wouldn't make a big deal out of it, ya know. Just come here, give me my license, let me get married and I won't bother anybody."
Morris and Clark have been a couple for three years, longer they say than some of their heterosexual friends. They had a marriage ceremony, complete with wedding dresses and an ordained minister... but of course not recognized in the state of Tennessee. Therefore they cannot take advantage of some benefits such as family insurance plans or potential tax benefits. They say that all they want is equal rights.
"A heterosexual couple gets married, they have all these rights," said Clark. "More rights than they probably even know they have and we can't get those rights. So if anything should happen to either her or myself, neither one of us will be protected."
Several couples at the protest today walked inside the court house to apply for marriage licenses. All of them were immediately turned down.
The clerk, Susie Holloway, said, ""We have laws that come down to us in the state legislature and it is in the state legislature that no one in the state of Tennessee of the same sex can. We cannot issue a license."
This is exactly what Morris and Clark, along with the rest of their friends were expecting. And while they aren't surprised they were turned down, they say they just don't understand why.
"It's five dollars. We just found out it costs five dollars to get a marriage license," said Clark. "We have to fight really hard to get something that costs five dollars. It costs more to get a drivers license. So, what's the value of marriage? What's the value of the marriage institution?"
A heterosexual friend of Morris & Clark came to show support for her friends. She says legalizing gay marriage shouldn't be so hard.
"I could walk in with my boyfriend. I could walk in with someone I met the night before," said Abby Gengozian. "hat's not right. It's not right. These guys are fighting for equal rights."
