Kentucky gay marriage plaintiffs savor victory
Hours after Friday's historic Supreme Court ruling, plaintiffs Timothy Love and Lawrence
Accompanied by supporters and photographers, they were cheered several times by diners at sidewalk cafes and passing cars. Inside the Jefferson County Clerk's Office, a crowd of well-wishers hugged and snapped photos as the couple waited for the state to issue new forms.
"We never thought we'd see this in our lifetimes," said Love, who plans to marry
They were among six Kentucky gay and lesbian couples who were plaintiffs in Friday's landmark 5-4 decision requiring states to grant same-sex couples licenses to marry and recognize such marriages performed in other states.
One couple — Greg Bourke and Michael DeLeon — was in Washington, D.C., Friday, making it inside the court to hear the ruling read firsthand.
"It was overwhelming. People were crying and very emotional," Bourke said. "We were holding hands, looking at one another. We did it. It's over. The weight is gone."
Outside, they waded through revelers and supporters "shaking our hands and slapping us on the back" before doing "a ton" of interviews. As for being part of a historic case, he said, "I don't think it's really sunk in yet."
Many of the couples were in Louisville for an emotional press conference after the ruling. The couples — four of whom had been married in other states but not had their marriages recognized in Kentucky — said they had been glued to legal blogs Friday morning as they awaited a decision.
Luke Barlowe, standing next to Jim Meade, who he previously married in Iowa, said the couple "stayed in the closet" for years, afraid to hold hands in public, much less think about getting married or adopting children. The court's ruling was almost too much for him to put into words.
"I'm so full right now I could really pop. I'm trying to hold myself together. This has been a long, long journey for us," Barlowe said.
Randy Johnson, who met Paul Campion nearly 24 years ago and married him in California in 2008, said he was thrilled that the ruling meant they had could "both be acknowledged as the legal parent of all four of our kids."
"When the announcement was made, tears of joy flowed and we all hugged each other — it's just such an amazing event for all of us," Johnson said. "We are very fortunate to be part of history in the making. But the important thing is we can be acknowledged with the dignity of our 24 years together, and raising four children."
Other plaintiffs included Tammy Boyd and Kim Franklin, who grew up in Shelby County, Ky., and were married in Connecticut in 2010. They found they had to take extra legal steps in many matters and didn't get tax and health benefits.
On Friday, accompanied by Boyd's son, 23-year-old Sam Riley, they said the ruling prompted them to plan to renew their vows at a ceremony in Kentucky.
"We knew we had to stand up," Franklin said. "Our kids and grandkids, they supported us all the way."
Reporter Chris Kenning can be reached at (502) 582-4697. Follow him on Twitter at @ckenning_cj