Man who wed on airport tarmac in Maryland to challenge Ohio's gay marriage ban dies
Judge ruled marriage of John Arthur and husband Jim Obergefell had to be legally recognized in their home state
John Arthur died in his home state of Ohio this week married to the man he loved.
His marriage to husband Jim Obergefell took place on an airport tarmac in Maryland last summer and the couple successfully fought to have the union legally recognized in Ohio where same-sex marriage is still banned.
Arthur died early Tuesday (22 October) after suffering from ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, and had been in hospice care for several months.
Attorney Al Gerhardstein praised Arthur for using the final months of his life to fight for equality.
'Part of John's legacy will be the difference he has already made in the struggle for marriage equality,' he said.
In July, federal judge Timothy Black ordered the local Ohio Registrar of death certificates to not accept for recording a death certificate for John Arthur 'that does not record Mr. Arthur’s status at death as "married" and James Obergefell as his "surviving spouse."'
Black wrote that by treating lawful same sex marriages differently than it treats lawful opposite sex, Ohio’s 2004 constitutional amendment banning recognition of same-sex couples 'likely violates the United States Constitution.'
Arthur and Obergefell went to great lengths to get married last summer.
They raised $12,700 to charter a private plane and get married in Maryland where same-sex marriage is now legal.
The seven-minute ceremony took place on an airport tarmac. They could not fly commercially due to Arthur's condition.
The lawsuit has since been expanded to have the out-of-state marriages of all gay couples in similar situations as Arthur and Obergefell be recognized on Ohio death certificates.
No comments:
Post a Comment