Lindsey O'Brien and Rachel Miller, who have been in a committed relationship for five years, walked into the Rock Island County Clerk's Office for a marriage license but were quickly denied, as reported by the Quad City Times.
It doesn't take an Illinois family lawyer to know that two women, no matter how committed, cannot get married in the state.
The swift refusal was expected but the request was a symbolic act of protest against what the two women and countless others believe is an act of discrimination. Along with an entourage of 10 supporters, the couple walked across the Centennial Bridge to the Scott County Recorder's Office in neighboring Iowa with the same request.
This time they were granted the license without a hitch, since same-sex marriage is recognized in Iowa.
The peaceful demonstration was intended to draw more attention to the struggle of same-sex couples to enjoy the same nuptial privileges extended to heterosexual couples in Illinois. More than 1,000 federal rights are extended to married couples, including Social Security benefits and hospital visitation, Lindsey O'Brien said.
Her brother, 32-year-old Patrick O'Brien acted as a witness for the couple's marriage license application and her mother, Ruth Ann O'Brien was there to offer support as well:
"We raised our kids to stand for what's right, and that's what she's doing."
While there's not much an Illinois family law attorney can do for specific same-sex couples hoping to get hitched in Illinois, countless legal minds are working behind the scenes to try to affect change.
Also, an Illinois policy survey conducted by Northern Illinois University in 2005 found that two-thirds of Illinois residents support some sort of official recognition of same-sex domestic partnerships, whether it's marriage or a civil union.
Related Resources:
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Developments in Same-Sex Marriage Law (FindLaw)
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Find a Divorce Attorney in Chicago (FindLaw)
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Iowa Supreme Court: Same-Sex Marriage Ban is Unconstitutional (FindLaw's Common Law)
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