A federal judge ruled today that Ohio must recognize gay marriages on death certificates saying the state’s ban on such marriages is unconstitutional. Unfortunately, the ruling applies only to death certificates. So the good news is, a judge is recognizing the civil rights of gay couples. The bad news is, in order to get them, you have to stop breathing.
A federal judge Monday ordered Ohio authorities to recognize gay marriages on death certificates, saying the state’s ban on such unions is unconstitutional and that states cannot discriminate against same-sex couples simply because some voters don’t like homosexuality. Although Judge Timothy Black’s ruling applies only to death certificates, his statements about Ohio’s gay-marriage ban are sweeping, unequivocal, and are expected to incite further litigation challenging the law.