Rhode Island Lesbians: Marriage Without Parole
Now that gay couples are getting married, at least in some states, they’re learning the awful truth about the state of matrimony. If you’re gonna take that trip to the altar you might want to make sure there’s a Fire Exit.
Two lesbians in Rhode Island learned this the hard way. When Cassandra Ormiston and Margaret Chambers’ three year marriage hit the skids the two tried to file for a divorce in their home state of Rhode Island. One problem, the state has no provisions for gay couple civil unions much less divorces.
Ormiston and Chambers were married in Massachusetts which recognizes civil unions between gay couples.
Massachusetts, the only state where gay marriage is legal, restricts the unions to residents of states where the marriage would be recognized, and a Massachusetts judge decided last year that Rhode Island is one of those states.
Rhode Island only recognizes civil unions between a man and woman.
Ms. Ormiston, or Mrs. Chambers, we’re not sure, was not happy.
“My civil rights, my human rights have been denied,” Ormiston said in a phone interview after the ruling. “It’s no small matter.”
Is Rhode Island’s lack of divorce statutes for gay couples a violation of Ms. Ormiston/Mrs. Chambers human rights?
Why would Rhode Island have divorce statutes for gay marriages if the civil unions are not yet on the books?
Unless either of the lesbians relocates to Massachusetts or the unhappy couple patches up their marriage they’ll be forced to deal with the old adage, ball and chain.
Source – Yahoo News
By LBG
Image [ WomenDoingTime.com]
Death by 1000 Papercuts Front Page.
Originally posted at DBKP at Blogger
