Gay marriage proponents in Gainesville and beyond are waiting for the results of a lawsuit challenging Florida’s laws that prohibit same-sex couples from marriage.
Six same-sex couples and the Equality Florida institute filed a lawsuit in May arguing that the marriage ban violates the 14th Amendment equal protection and due process clauses.
On July 2, a state trial court in Miami heard the institute’s argument. The group asked the court to consider its constitutional claims because the court has ruled in favor of 15 states last summer.
Mallory Garner-Wells, public policy director for Equality Florida, said the lawsuit represents a good chance to bring equality to Florida because their argument has a strong legal basis.
“We have a great legal team of Florida lawyers,” she said. “We are really confident that we have a standing chance.”
The organization believes that everyone should have an equal chance at marriage and is also Florida’s largest civil rights movement in the state. Many of the members in the group are same-sex couples that would get married if the Florida law allowed it.
Terry Fleming, vice president of the Human Rights Council of North Central Florida, said same-sex marriage is an issue that needs to be addressed.
“We are excited this is moving across Florida,” he said.
The Human Rights Council of North Central Florida works to educate all people about civil rights, and LGBT rights are just one element, he said.
However, some church organizations, like the United Methodist Church, believe that same-sex marriage is incompatible with Christian teaching, which typically says that marriage is between a man and a woman.
Although this is the official stance for some churches, not all of its congregation may follow the rules.
The Rev. Narcie Jeter, a pastor of Gator Wesley Foundation, said some pastors have been breaking the Christian view by marrying a person of the same gender in an act of civil disobedience.
“There are openly gay kids at Gator Wesley,” she said, “but they are treated with the same grace and respect as heterosexual couples.”
The United Methodist Church is a church that tries to connect with different groups of people and churches throughout the world, she said.
All that’s left to do is wait, said Garner-Wells. Until the judge makes a decision, activist groups in Gainesville and throughout the state will keep pushing.
“We look forward to the day all same-sex couples can be married in Florida,” Fleming said.
[A version of this story ran on pages 1 - 4 on 7/10/2014 under the headline "Locals react to upcoming same-sex marriage ruling"]
