equal rites

Utah Better Get Used to the Idea of Gay Marriage, Like, Now

 A car flies the gay pride flag in protest past the Mormon Conference center during the Semi-Annual General Conference of the Mormon church
Photo: George Frey/Getty Images

Bans on same-sex marriage are falling literally every day now: On the heels of a similar decision by New Mexico’s Supreme Court, a federal judge in the very religious state of Utah struck down a discriminatory law today as unconstitutional. “The state’s current laws deny its gay and lesbian citizens their fundamental right to marry and, in so doing, demean the dignity of these same-sex couples for no rational reason,” wrote Judge Robert J. Shelby.

“It feels unreal,” said one of the plaintiffs, to the Salt Lake Tribune. “I’m just very thrilled that Derek and I will be able to get married soon, if all goes well and the state doesn’t appeal.”

The window for applications opened right away, although further legal hurdles are still possible:

But local couples were prepared:

Utah Gay Marriage Ban Struck Down