(Columbia) Feb. 12, 2004 - A group from the South Carolina Gay and Lesbian Pride Movement on Thursday applied for marriage licenses in Richland County. The five couples were turned down.
Ed Madden, who had hoped to marry his partner of nine years, Bert Easter, president of the group, says, "We went to the county courthouse to get marriage licenses. They told us, according to state law, we couldn't get marriage licenses."
South Carolina passed a law in 1996 that defined marriage as a union between a man and a woman. And, similar legislation was passed declaring gay marriages void in South Carolina.
South Carolina House members on Tuesday introduced bills that would prohibit the recognition in the Palmetto State of gay marriages performed elsewhere. The bills also seek to deny insurance benefits for same-sex partners. Lawmakers in 17 other states are considering similar bills.
Madden says the bills aren't just anti-gay, "We know that there are almost 8000 same-sex couples in this state living together as families. We know that almost 40 percent of lesbian couples in this state have children. So, to pass a law like that that tries to prevent gay and lesbian couples from getting any sort of social or economic support is anti-family and anti-children." The 2000 Census shows there are more than seven-thousand-600 same-sex couples in South Carolina.
Candace and Wanda brought newlywed bags and freshly cut flowers, "It says we really don't like gays and just to show you how much we don't like gays, we're not only going to have a defense of marriage act that says you can't get married. We're going to have another law on top of that that says you really, really can't get married."
After their failed attempt, the activists held a "strolling wedding party" down Main Street to the State House giving out cupcakes and trying to drum up support for their cause.
Many of the people they talked to were on the fence supporting civil unions, but not full marriage rights. Some came out in full support like Sydney Miller, "In South Carolina, you can live together for six weeks and be common-law married. Why can't you get married if you're gay?"
More than a few like Ava Frazier were opposed, "I feel like God created woman for men. I just don't agree with that at all. I just can't support something like that."
The organization also held a town hall meeting Wednesday night at USC's Gambrell Auditorium to discuss a challenge to the state's ban on gay marriage. It's the first of a series of meetings planned for Marriage Equality Week. SCGLPM organized the forum for Marriage Equality Week, which happens to coincide with renewed efforts to discourage gay marriage.
A new poll finds most Americans by a two-to-one margin don't want laws in their states that would legalize gay marriage. But, the National Annenberg Election Survey also finds that Americans generally aren't eager to see a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage.
The first legally sanctioned American same-sex weddings could take place as early as May 17th in Massachusetts after that state's supreme court ruled only full and equal marriage rights for gay couples would be constitutional.
Reporting by Heather Brown
Updated 7:42pm by Chris Rees
