Same-sex couple told to wait for marriage license

Brant Rios and Eos Parish walked into the Ouachita Parish Courthouse with smiles on their faces.

"The Supreme Court issued their verdict today that gay marriage is the law of the land," Rios said. "We wanted to be the first here. We've been together for five years now, and we just want to make it legal."

Rios and Parish were, in fact, the first same-sex couple to apply for a marriage license in Ouachita Parish. But their wish to marry will have to wait.

"The clerk in charge referred us to (Clerk of Court Louise Bond) who came out and told us that due to the 25-day stay, they can't issue it at this time and have to wait for their legal counsel to approve it and give them direction," Parish said.

"Louise did actually come out and speak with us, and she did seem sympathetic," Rios added.

Bond told The News-Star she is waiting on further word from attorneys.

"I just got an email from the Clerks Association office, and our legal counsel has advised us not to do anything until we hear back from them," she said. "There is a delay. It's usually around 20-25 days. We've been told not to issue anything until we hear back from our counsel on that. So we're not going to immediately (issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples)."

According to the Associated Press, Louisiana is the only state to have not issued a marriage license to a same-sex couple Friday.

In Mississippi, three lesbian couples obtained licenses and married Friday amid confusion over when weddings can legally begin.

Still, Elisabeth Grant-Gibson, a Monroe resident and advocate for equality, said she was ecstatic about the news.

"My initial and continuing reaction is that it is a great day for America," she said. "I think that it's long overdue. I know for some people this seems like it happened very quickly. It's been a long struggle for this group of people to feel as though they were equal Americans."

Grant-Gibson said she and her late partner, Patricia Grant, were disappointed when Louisiana passed the ban on same-sex marriage in 2004.

"My community, which is Monroe, voted about 92 percent in favor of that amendment," she said. "For my partner and me who had a business in Monroe and had given a great deal to the community, it was a very difficult time. We felt unwanted in the community. We felt all the good work we were doing didn't matter. We did consider leaving the state, and we didn't because there was work to be done there."

Grant-Gibson said she never thought she'd live to see the day that same-sex marriage became law.

"I'm sorry that she did not live to see this happen in her lifetime," She said of Grant.

Rios said he was excited for the news but disappointed in the state of affairs in Louisiana prior to the court's announcement.

"It's really disheartening," he said. "Cultures are evolving. We're not the same country we were 10 years ago. I'm glad for the ruling, and we'll see what happens in the state of Louisiana."

Rios and Parish said getting married is their first step into becoming foster parents.

Parish said he was not surprised when he walked out of the clerk's office.

"We came expecting disappointment today," he said. "We were excited. We were hopeful. But we came expecting that it was going to get shot down."

The couple said they would be back in 25 days to try again.

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