US: Mississippi gay couples to record out of state marriages in pro-equality statement

Aug 13 2014
Written by Joseph McCormick

Same-sex couples across the US state of Mississippi will today record their marriages performed out of state in a statement for legal protections across the state.

The Associated Press reports that the Campaign for Southern Equality organised the state-wide day of action, which includes couples in eight counties recording their marriages.

The counties in which the couples will record their marriages will be Amite, Desoto, Hancock, Harrison, Hinds, Lafayette, Lamar and Pear River.

The idea behind the day, Reverend Jasmine Beach-Ferrara, the group’s executive director, was to create “a public record of their love and commitment.” She went on to comment on a lack of legal protections for LGBT people in the state.

Hundreds of Mississippi business owners earlier this year declared their support for the equal treatment of gay and lesbian customers.

The move came amid a new law which bans the government from limiting the free practice of religion which took effect on 1 July.

The US state of Mississippi quietly passed a bill legalised discrimination against gay and lesbian people based on religious belief earlier this month.