Maryland to Recognize Out of State Gay Marriages

As Virginia veers backward in the march toward equality under Christianist Governor, Bob McDonnell, same sex couples in Northern Virginia suddenly have a viable alternative to living in a state where their relationships are not only not recognized but condemned. Within the month the District of Columbia should have same sex marriage and now Maryland's attorney general, Douglas Gansler (at right) has ruled that - like New York State- Maryland will recognize marriages that are legally performed in other states and territories. Thus, LGBT Virginians will have the option of marrying in the District and then either moving there or to a nearby Maryland suburb without the need to move from the region. Indeed, Maryland has just gained a competitive edge in recruiting progressive businesses that want to be in the greater Washington, D.C., area but do not want to lose existing or potential LGBT employees who may rightly see a move to Virginia to be something unacceptable. As I have stated before, I regularly receive calls from out of state gays asking about Virginia's attitude towards gay citizens and have to tell them that if the move to Virginia they will have NO LEGAL PROTECTIONS whatsoever. My advice? Do not take the job unless you are willing to accept the anti-gay legal environment. Not surprisingly, many who inquire do not opt to come to Virginia. Here are some highlights from the Washington Post:
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UPDATE 2:50 P.M.: Maryland Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler (D) says effective immediately the state recognizes same-sex marriages performed elsewhere and state agencies should begin giving gay couples the rights they were awarded elsewhere.
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A long-awaited opinion by Maryland Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler (D) out Wednesday morning concludes that the state's highest court is likely to rule at some point that same-sex marriages performed in other states are valid in Maryland.
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The policy implications of the opinion are not immediately clear, and Gansler says in a one-page summary that his conclusion "is not free from doubt."
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Gansler's opinion concludes "that the Court of Appeals, when it ultimately rules on this question in a particular case, will likely apply the principle that a marriage that is valid in the place of celebration is valid in Maryland. The opinion reaches this conclusion in light of the evolving state policy, reflected in anti-discrimination laws, domestic partner laws and other legislation, that respects and supports committed intimate same-sex relationships."
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Taliban Bob McDonnell wants to be a "jobs governor" but insists on putting religious based discrimination ahead of sound economics and equality under the law. Combined with projected cuts in teachers. etc., under his budget, he will be a jobs governor alright - employment will decrease under his watch.