More than a dozen U.S. counties still aren't marrying same-sex couples
It's been 50 days since the landmark Supreme Court ruling legalized marriage quality nationwide. And in most parts of the country, same-sex couples are getting married without incident.
But BuzzFeed News tracked down the exceptions to the rule in a report published late Friday. In some counties, practices were unclear, but more than a dozen counties across Nebraska, Kentucky, Alabama, and Texas were either refusing to solemnize marriages or refusing to issue marriage licenses at all.
Many are reportedly refusing to issue any marriage licenses, regardless of the couple's gender makeup.
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"The message to straight couples is, 'We like you and we want to issue you a marriage license, but we can’t because of those darn gay people,'" Southern Poverty Law Center staff attorney Scott McCoy told BuzzFeed.
Some clerks and their deputies are arguing issuing licenses to same-sex couples would violate their religious beliefs. A legal battle is underway in Kentucky, and the result could have lasting implications for counties responding similarly.
Check out the comprehensive report here.
