Congratulations to Sarah Goodfriend and Suzanne Bryant, partners for almost 31 years, who earlier this morning became the first legally-married same-sex couple in the Lone Star State!
Goodfriend and Bryant filed a lawsuit in Travis County District Court requesting that county clerk Dana DeBeauvoir be compelled to issue a marriage license based upon a medically fragile condition. State district Judge David Wahlberg ruled in favor of the couple (view the order here), the license was issued, and the couple was married outside the clerk’s office by Rabbi Kerry Baker.
It is important to note that Sarah and Suzanne were only able to marry after bringing legal action against the county clerk. The county clerk is otherwise not issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples in Travis County.
While we join with Sarah, Suzanne, and their children in celebration of their wedding, we recognize that other couples are still denied the freedom to marry the person they love. We urge the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals to quickly issue a ruling affirming the freedom to marry for all loving couples in Texas.