• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Towleroad Gay News

Gay Blog Towleroad: More than gay news | gay men

  • Travel
  • Sports
  • Law/Justice
  • Celebrities
  • Republicans
  • Madonna
  • Books
  • Men
  • Trans Rights
  • Royals
  • Monkeypox
  • Sophia Bush’s girlfriend ‘proud’ the actress has opened up about coming out as queer
  • Mel B declares she’ll ‘always be open’ when it comes to her sexuality!
  • Megan Thee Stallion being sued for ‘forcing cameraman watch her having lesbian sex!’

Despite Anti-Gay Rhetoric, Texas Has Caved To SCOTUS Marriage Ruling With Few Exceptions: VIDEO

John Wright July 1, 2015

Texas

Despite all the political posturing from Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Attorney General Ken Paxton, the state is largely complying with the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in favor of nationwide marriage equality.

The Employee Retirement System of Texas, which was sued pre-emptively by Lambda Legal, has begun offering benefits to same-sex spouses, as have the University of Texas and Texas A&M University systems.

Equality Texas' Daniel Williams (map above) reports that 115 Texas counties, representing 84 percent of the state's population, are issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Some of those not issuing licenses say they're waiting on software updates. But others, such as Hood County Clerk Katie Lang, who we first told you about yesterday and ironically somewhat shares a name with lesbian songstress K.D. Lang, are openly defiant.

Clerk Lang, who refused an interview about the subject with CNN, posted this statement on her website Tuesday:

I would like to issue a statement that I will be not be issuing same sex marriage license's due to my religious convictions. 

In the Attorney General's opinion, Ken Paxton, issued in response to Lt. Governor Patrick's request for guidance, we find that although it fabricated a new constitutional right in 2015, the Supreme Court did not diminish, overrule, or call into question the First Amendment rights to free exercise of religion that formed the first freedom in the Bill of Rights in 1791. This newly invented federal constitutional right to same-sex marriage should peaceably coexist alongside longstanding constitutional and statutory rights, including the rights to free exercise of religion and speech. This opinion concludes that:  

“County clerks and their employees retain religious freedoms that may allow accommodation of their religious objections to issuing same-sex marriage licenses. The strength of any such claim depends on the particular facts of each case.”

Despite Lang's resistance, she remains in the minority. Even the clerk in San Saba County west of Austin, who previously claimed a religious objection and threatened to call the sheriff on a reporter who asked her about the issue, granted a marriage license to a same-sex couple Tuesday:

First couple to get same-sex marriage in San Saba County @kxan_newspic.twitter.com/fkiPFW8VOn

— Sophia Beausoleil (@Sophia_beau) June 30, 2015

UPDATE: Hood County Clerk Katie Lang has relented and her office will now issue licenses to same-sex couples, according to her website:

“The religious doctrines to which I adhere compel me to personally refrain from issuing same-sex marriage licenses. Nonetheless, in addition to the county clerk offices in the several surrounding counties, as soon as the appropriate forms have been printed and supplied to my office, the County Clerk's Office of Hood County will have staff available and ready to issue same-sex marriage licenses.

“Because some have misreported and misconstrued my prior statements, I want to make clear that the County Clerk's Office of Hood County will comply with the recent decision of the Supreme Court of the United States.”

According to The Star-Telegram of Fort Worth, some county clerks feel that Paxton threw them under the bus.

Watch a report from Anderson Cooper on Texas' resistance to marriage equality below:

video
play-rounded-fill
Link

 

 

Topics: Religion, Supreme Court More Posts About: Austin, Dallas, Dan Patrick, Fort Worth, gay marriage, Greg Abbott, houston, Ken Paxton, San Antonio, Texas

Related Posts
  • Texas bans ‘sexually explicit’ books in schools. Law ‘gets that trash out,’ Gov. Greg Abbott says
  • TX AG’s wife may help decide his fate on 20 impeachment articles — including bribery tied to an alleged affair
  • Fans in frenzy as Beyonce kicks off concert tour
  • Mel B declares she’ll ‘always be open’ when it comes to her sexuality!

    Mel B declares she’ll ‘always be open’ when it comes to her sexuality!

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Mel B will “always be open” when it comes to her sexuality. The Spice Girls singer, 48, who reunited with her bandmates including the group's ex-singer Victoria Beckham for the fashion …Read More »
  • Megan Thee Stallion being sued for ‘forcing cameraman watch her having lesbian sex!’

    Megan Thee Stallion being sued for ‘forcing cameraman watch her having lesbian sex!’

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Megan Thee Stallion is being sued for allegedly creating a hostile work environment and forcing her cameraman to watch her having lesbian sex. The 29-year-old ‘Savage' rapper faces the salacious claims …Read More »
  • Mean Girls star Jonathan Bennett recalls the moment his life ‘changed forever’

    Mean Girls star Jonathan Bennett recalls the moment his life ‘changed forever’

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Jonathan Bennett's life was “changed forever” by his role in ‘Mean Girls'. The 42-year-old actor starred as heartthrob Aaron Samuels in the 2004 cult classic – which followed Lindsay Lohan, Rachel …Read More »
  • Sir Elton John sent Lance Bass gift basket to celebrate coming out

    Sir Elton John sent Lance Bass gift basket to celebrate coming out

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Sir Elton John sent Lance Bass a gift basket after he came out as gay. The 44-year-old NSYNC star revealed the legendary singer showed his support when Lance decided to reveal …Read More »
Previous Post: « Share This: American Pride
Next Post: Kentucky Clerks Refuse Marriage Licenses To All Couples, Cite ‘Religious Beliefs’: VIDEO »

Primary Sidebar

Most Recent

  • Sophia Bush’s girlfriend ‘proud’ the actress has opened up about coming out as queer

    Sophia Bush’s girlfriend ‘proud’ the actress has opened up about coming out as queer

  • Mel B declares she’ll ‘always be open’ when it comes to her sexuality!

    Mel B declares she’ll ‘always be open’ when it comes to her sexuality!

  • Megan Thee Stallion being sued for ‘forcing cameraman watch her having lesbian sex!’

    Megan Thee Stallion being sued for ‘forcing cameraman watch her having lesbian sex!’

  • Mean Girls star Jonathan Bennett recalls the moment his life ‘changed forever’

    Mean Girls star Jonathan Bennett recalls the moment his life ‘changed forever’

  • Sir Elton John sent Lance Bass gift basket to celebrate coming out

    Sir Elton John sent Lance Bass gift basket to celebrate coming out

  • Relationship status influences heterosexual women’s sexual prejudice towards lesbians

    Relationship status influences heterosexual women’s sexual prejudice towards lesbians

  • JoJo Siwa had a challenge transitioning to new grown-up image

    JoJo Siwa had a challenge transitioning to new grown-up image

  • Liz Hurley defends lesbian sex scene in new movie that was directed by her son

    Liz Hurley defends lesbian sex scene in new movie that was directed by her son

Partner Links

  • DM: Duchess Meghan’s Mother’s Day post lacks relatability because of Archie’s pajamas!
    I actually think the Duchess of Sussex has gotten to the […]
  • “Halle Berry & Juliette Binoche are on this year’s Cannes jury” links
    I totally forgot that Halle Berry is on the Cannes Film […]
  • 'I Really Miss the City, and There's Nowhere Here to Cry About It in Public'
    I have a recurring dream (aka nightmare) where I've moved away […]
  • Prabal Gurung shares with “CBS Mornings” his personal journey in new memoir, “Walk Like a Girl”
    Hi everyone! My blog underwent a much-needed WordPress upgrade but I’m […]
  • Chuck Schumer Puts Hold On Trump DOJ Nominees Over Qatar's Luxury Jet Bribe
    Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told the press he is placing […]

Most Commented

Social

Twitter @tlrd | Facebook | Instagram @tlrd

About

  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy
[towleroadmr] [towleroadtn]

Footer

Ptown Hacks 2018

Read

  • Travel
  • Film
  • Law – LGBT Rights
  • Columns
  • Specials

About

  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2025 · Log in

×
×