TENNESSEE: National Center For Lesbian Rights Petitions SCOTUS On Marriage

Earlier today Lambda Legal and ACLU filed a demand that SCOTUS hear their appeal of the Sixth Circuit Court ruling in Ohio. This afternoon the National Center for Lesbian Rights and a coalition of local legal firms did the same regarding the Tennessee case. From their petition:

Beyond the many legal protections denied to petitioners, Tennessee’s refusal to recognize their legal marriages continually communicates to petitioners and other Tennesseans that the State regards petitioners and their families as second-class citizens. Mr. Mansell and Mr. Espejo worry that their young children will internalize these messages and believe that their family is inferior and not entitled to the same dignity as other Tennessee families. Drs. Tanco and Jesty also want to protect their newborn child from growing up under discriminatory laws that mark their family as different and less worthy. For Sgt. DeKoe, a veteran of the war in Afghanistan, Tennessee’s refusal to recognize his marriage to Mr. Kostura is particularly painful because he is denied the very rights — freedom, liberty, and equality – that he risked his life to protect.

Read the full petition.

UPDATE: JMG reader Jason writes to point out that the top-listed attorney, Abby Rubenfeld, is the real life sister of Paul Rubens, aka Pee-Wee Herman.