A Lexington couple is celebrating a federal judge’s final ruling that orders Kentucky to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states.
Ross Ewing has been with his partner for eight years. The couple had planned to marry this summer in New York.
“By happy coincidence, we were and still are, planning on being in New York on the first weekend in June which is our anniversary. My partner sings in Lexington Singers and they are performing in Carnegie Hall that weekend. We were just going to get married while we were up there,” explained Ewing.
Now, Ewing says the couple is thinking about waiting a little longer for the opportunity to get married in their home state. With the ruling partially lifting Kentucky’s ban on same-sex marriage, Ewing believes it’s only a matter of time before Kentucky fully legalizes gay marriage.
“I just cannot help but see the comparison to inter-racial marriage. That didn’t happen overnight and it didn’t happen in all 50 states simultaneously, but it happened, and I just can’t help but see the parallel.”
Earlier today, Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway asked for a delay in a final ruling. Martin Cothran with The Family Foundation of Kentucky said Conway should’ve already appealed the decision.
“We think if the attorney general is going to fight for this than he ought to do it and ought to do it well. He hasn’t done that so far,” said Cothran. “If he’s not going to fight for it, he needs to be honest with the voters and tell them that he’s not going to defend their rights.”
Cothran said the 2004 constitutional amendment represents the will of the voters and shouldn’t be overturned by a judge or by public opinion from other states.
“We believe that the people of Kentucky through their elected lawmakers ought to control marriage policy in our state,” said Cothran. “That’s our prerogative. As soon as you give on this issue, what you’ve done is ceded your authority on this issue to other states.”
