COURT RULING
"We hold that the State of New Mexico is constitutionally required to allow same-gender couples to marry and must extend to them the rights, protections, and responsibilities that derive from civil marriage under New Mexico law."
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 19, 2013
ALBUQUERQUE, NM—Today, in a 5-0 unanimous ruling, the New Mexico Supreme Court determined in the Griego v. Oliver lawsuit that barring individuals from marrying and depriving them of the rights, protections, and responsibilities of civil marriage solely because of their sexual orientation violates the Equal Protection Clause under Article II, Section 18 of the New Mexico Constitution. In effect, the New Mexico Supreme Court has made the freedom to marry for all New Mexicans, regardless of gender, the law of the Land of Enchantment. Read the entire opinion here.
"For Equality New Mexico, today has been more than 20 years in the making, and for our community it's felt like a lifetime of waiting to exercise our freedom to marry the person we love," said EQNM Executive Director Amber Royster. "We are so proud that the New Mexico Supreme Court ruled on the side of fairness and respect. As New Mexicans, we should all carry our heads a little higher today."
Relationship recognition for same-sex couples in New Mexico has been a heavily debated issue for decades. As early as 1989, LGBT civil rights advocates found themselves in the State Legislature working to defeat attempts to codify discrimination and restrict the ability of same-sex couples to marry, and thus deny the myriad benefits and protections that come with it. For more than 20 of the nearly 25 years since that time, Equality New Mexico has remained steadfast in advancing public policy, education, and advocacy efforts to achieve a vision of a fair and inclusive New Mexico, with same-sex relationship recognition a cornerstone of that vision. Though the path to victory was paved through the courts, local activists know well the long and arduous journey to arriving at this historic juncture in New Mexico history.
Said former EQNM Board Chair, Mary Ellen Capek: "This has been a long journey with many people working together for many years to bring marriage equality to our beloved state. We always knew the courts would do the right thing once they got the chance to decide, but it's been an anxious wait. And now we have to do everything in our power to make sure we secure this win: too many will try to overturn the decision. We'll celebrate joyfully today but mindful that there's still a lot of work to be done."
"I was certain today would come in New Mexico," said Martha Trolin, founding member of EQNM, "but honestly, some 30 years ago I never thought it would be in my lifetime. Right now I'm thinking of Neil Isbin, Russell Gray, Havens Levitt, Steve Helmreich, Senator Tom Rutherford-thousands of us have been standing on their shoulders for well over 30 years. And I think the truth is that it took every single one of us, no matter how small or large the contribution, to get us to this moment in New Mexico history."
"We hold that the State of New Mexico is constitutionally required to allow same-gender couples to marry and must extend to them the rights, protections, and responsibilities that derive from civil marriage under New Mexico law."
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 19, 2013
ALBUQUERQUE, NM—Today, in a 5-0 unanimous ruling, the New Mexico Supreme Court determined in the Griego v. Oliver lawsuit that barring individuals from marrying and depriving them of the rights, protections, and responsibilities of civil marriage solely because of their sexual orientation violates the Equal Protection Clause under Article II, Section 18 of the New Mexico Constitution. In effect, the New Mexico Supreme Court has made the freedom to marry for all New Mexicans, regardless of gender, the law of the Land of Enchantment. Read the entire opinion here.
"For Equality New Mexico, today has been more than 20 years in the making, and for our community it's felt like a lifetime of waiting to exercise our freedom to marry the person we love," said EQNM Executive Director Amber Royster. "We are so proud that the New Mexico Supreme Court ruled on the side of fairness and respect. As New Mexicans, we should all carry our heads a little higher today."
Relationship recognition for same-sex couples in New Mexico has been a heavily debated issue for decades. As early as 1989, LGBT civil rights advocates found themselves in the State Legislature working to defeat attempts to codify discrimination and restrict the ability of same-sex couples to marry, and thus deny the myriad benefits and protections that come with it. For more than 20 of the nearly 25 years since that time, Equality New Mexico has remained steadfast in advancing public policy, education, and advocacy efforts to achieve a vision of a fair and inclusive New Mexico, with same-sex relationship recognition a cornerstone of that vision. Though the path to victory was paved through the courts, local activists know well the long and arduous journey to arriving at this historic juncture in New Mexico history.
Said former EQNM Board Chair, Mary Ellen Capek: "This has been a long journey with many people working together for many years to bring marriage equality to our beloved state. We always knew the courts would do the right thing once they got the chance to decide, but it's been an anxious wait. And now we have to do everything in our power to make sure we secure this win: too many will try to overturn the decision. We'll celebrate joyfully today but mindful that there's still a lot of work to be done."
"I was certain today would come in New Mexico," said Martha Trolin, founding member of EQNM, "but honestly, some 30 years ago I never thought it would be in my lifetime. Right now I'm thinking of Neil Isbin, Russell Gray, Havens Levitt, Steve Helmreich, Senator Tom Rutherford-thousands of us have been standing on their shoulders for well over 30 years. And I think the truth is that it took every single one of us, no matter how small or large the contribution, to get us to this moment in New Mexico history."
