Gay Couple to Get Legally Married Within Borders of Oklahoma, Thanks to Tribal Laws
The latest in gay marriage recognition news
Gay marriages are not recognized in Oklahoma. Not even a little bit. But one gay couple does plan to tie the knot in such a way that will be recognized within the state, though not by the state. Jason Pickel and Darren Blackbear have snagged a marriage license from the Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribal Court in Concho, Oklahoma. Blackbear is a member of their tribe, and their marriage laws do not specify gender.
Fox's Oklahoma City affiliate interviewed the couple, and you can watch the story here. They're planning for a wedding on Halloween, so that should be an entertaining reception. Their marriage will not be acknowledged by the state of Oklahoma, but because of the partial strike-down of the Defense of Marriage Act, the federal government will recognize it.
In other related news, New Mexico's Supreme Court is hearing arguments today about whether the state should recognize same-sex marriages, and for the first time ever, the court is allowing the proceedings to be live-streamed. You can watch the arguments here. In Illinois, gay marriage supporters rallied at the capitol in Springfield, but they still don't seem to have the votes to pass a law, even through its Democrat-controlled state legislature, according to the Chicago Tribune.