Gay couples: There is no conceivable basis for Texas to ban gay marriage

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Gay couples from the US state of Texas has argued that the state has “no basis” for arguing to keep its same-sex marriage ban.

Several couples argued in a legal brief to the 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals: “As numerous courts already concluded, no conceivable basis exists to deny same-sex couples their right to marry.”

The 5th Circuit is due to decide on whether Texas’ ban is constitutional.

Texas attorneys argue that the ban, approved by voters, benefits children, the couples deny this – pointing to numerous studies which show that children of same-sex couples do just as well.

“Far from encouraging a stable environment for child rearing, [the ban] denies children of same-sex parents the protections and stability they would enjoy if their parents could marry,” the brief continued.

It argues that there is a lack of support for children of same-sex couples if they break up.

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott was recently accused of deliberately stalling his appeal, after the state’s same-sex marriage ban was struck down.

Judge Orlando Garcia struck down the state’s marriage ban in February, but stayed the ruling, meaning it will not come into effect until Abbott’s appeal is concluded.