Equality North Dakota, the statewide advocacy organization for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) North Dakotans, today hailed the decision of the Massachusetts Supreme Court to recognize the right of same-sex couples to civil marriage.

“We are delighted with the ruling of the Massachusetts Supreme Court in favor of same-sex couples,” said Equality North Dakota (END) co-chair Sherri Parsons, who in August traveled to Canada to marry her longtime partner.  “Same-sex couples marry for the same reasons as their heterosexual counterparts – as a public expression of their love and commitment and for the security that marriage offers,” added Parsons.

Currently, the Netherlands, Belgium, and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and British Columbia are the only places where same-sex couples may enter into a full legal marriage.

“This ruling represents another major milestone in our community’s efforts to achieve full equality under the law in this country.  We join with our national and other statewide GLBT organizations in celebrating this decision while looking forward to the day when same-sex couples may legally marry in all fifty states,” said Robert Uebel, co-chair of Equality North Dakota.

Recalling historical precedent in the United States and in other countries, END secretary Larry Peterson declared, “When the state denies people the right to marry, it is attempting to deny them their status as full human beings worthy of the same respect and dignity we all expect.  To the rest of society, recognizing a loving relationship between two adults through the institution of marriage is a fundamental way in which we recognize our mutual humanity with those individuals.”

The North Dakota legislature amended the Century Code in 1997 to explicitly define marriage as between one man and one woman and to deny recognition to same-sex marriages performed in another state or country.  36 other states currently have similar laws.