Today U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves ruled in favor of equality, striking down Mississippi’s discriminatory constitutional amendment banning same-sex couples from marrying.  Attorney Roberta Kaplan represented two plaintiff couples on behalf of Campaign for Southern Equality, arguing that Mississippi’s marriage ban violates the U.S. Constitution.  Kaplan successfully argued United States v. Windsor against the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) before the Supreme Court of the United States last year.  The Supreme Court’s ruling in that case has been cited in every state and federal court decision striking down state marriage bans since.  Another case challenging the state marriage ban filed in state court – Czekala-Chatham v. Melancon – is on appeal to the Mississippi Supreme Court after a judge denied a same-sex couple’s divorce petition, citing the state’s ban on recognition of out-of-state marriages between same-sex couples.  This evening’s ruling comes just hours after a federal judge in Arkansas struck down that state’s ban on marriage equality.

“Judge Reeves’ ruling today affirms what we already know to be true – that all loving, committed Mississippi couples should have the right to marry,” said HRC Mississippi director Rob Hill. “However, there is still much to be done to advance equality here in the Magnolia State. For thousands of LGBT Mississippians, the reality remains that we risk being fired from over jobs, kicked out of our homes or refused service simply because of who we are and who we love—that’s not right. HRC Mississippi is here to ensure all Mississippians are treated with dignity and respect.”

Ewww spreading the gay