• 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

  • Politics
  • Health
  • Travel
  • Gay Pride
  • Music
  • Sports
  • Law/Justice
  • Celebrities
  • Men
  • Space
  • Science
  • Gay Iconography
  • Madonna
  • Books
  • Monkeypox
  • Film/TV

‘First’ Same-Sex Couple to Marry in Texas Celebrates 1-Year Anniversary – VIDEO

John Wright February 19, 2016 Leave a Comment

Screen Shot 2016-02-19 at 3.07.48 PM

Four months before same-sex marriage became legal in Texas, longtime lesbian couple Suzanne Bryant and Sarah Goodfriend of Austin tied the knot.

In part because Goodfriend had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer, state District Judge David Wahlberg barred the Travis County Clerk’s Office from enforcing Texas’ same-sex marriage ban, which he declared unconstitutional, forcing officials to issue the couple a license.

Today, Bryant and Goodfriend, who’ve been together for 30 years and have two daughters, are celebrating their one-year anniversary — by eating a piece of cake they saved from their wedding last year (above). Best of all, Goodfriend is cancer-free.

“We were able to give people hope. There were so many people that wanted pictures with our certificates and it’s because they wanted one of their own,” Goodfriend told Austin’s KEYE-TV for a story that aired Thursday. “The time was right and the world was ready.

“I especially want to say to those who are in charge of those enforcing the law, come on, quit playing politics, let’s just enforce the law,” Goodfriend added.

Those people include Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton, whose office is still fighting to un-marry Bryant and Goodfriend.

After obtaining a stay of Wahlberg’s decision from the Texas Supreme Court, the AG’s office sought a ruling voiding the couple’s marriage, but the court hasn’t yet acted on that request. And despite the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, Paxton’s office has declined to drop the case.

Although Bryant and Goodfriend certainly made history, technically they weren’t the first same-sex couple to marry in Texas. That distinction probably belongs to Antonio Molina and William “Billie” Ert, who obtained a marriage license on Oct. 5, 1972.

Ert, who performed as a drag queen named Mr. Vicki Carr, wore a wig, make-up and a dress to the clerk’s office in Wharton County, outside of Houston — tricking officials into issuing the couple a license.

Two days later, Molina and Ert held a ceremony in Houston, but by then their same-sex marriage had made national headlines, and the clerk declined to record the couple’s license.

Watch KEYE-TV’s report below.

Topics: Supreme Court, towleroad More Posts About: Austin, gay marriage, Gay Rights, Sarah Goodfriend, Suzanne Bryant, Texas

Related Posts
  • Former Roommate Indicted For Murder Of Florida LGBTQ Activist Jorge Diaz-Johnston, One of the Public Faces In State Fight For Marriage Equality
  • Idaho, Alabama, Wisconsin Advance Anti-Trans Youth Bills, Including Life In Prison Punishment For Providing Puberty Blockers
  • Survivor Benefits Payments For Same-Sex Partners Are Being Paid Under Biden, But Many Don’t Even Know They Qualify
  • Dave Chappelle’s alleged attacker was ‘triggered’ by his jokes

    Dave Chappelle’s alleged attacker was ‘triggered’ by his jokes

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Dave Chappelle’s alleged attacker was “triggered” by his jokes. The 48-year-old comedian appeared to be attacked by Isaiah Lee, who attempted to tackle him to the ground as he performed as …Read More »
  • Hayley Kiyoko Comes Out About Dating ‘Bachelor’ Star Becca Tilley In Video For Her Catchy New “For the Girls” A Parody of Lesbian Dates, Reality Tropes: WATCH

    Hayley Kiyoko Comes Out About Dating ‘Bachelor’ Star Becca Tilley In Video For Her Catchy New “For the Girls” A Parody of Lesbian Dates, Reality Tropes: WATCH

      Published by BANG Showbiz English   Hayley Kiyoko and Becca Tilley appear to have confirmed that they are in a relationship. The 31-year-old pop star and ‘Bachelor Nation’ alum Becca, 33, shared a Reel of …Read More »
  • Activists Rally, Make Case For Thailand Marriage Equality; Present Rewritten Version of  Constitutional Court’s Ruling On Marriage Law

    Activists Rally, Make Case For Thailand Marriage Equality; Present Rewritten Version of Constitutional Court’s Ruling On Marriage Law

    On May 17, the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia(IDAHOT), activists held a rally for LGBTQ+ rights and called for marriage equality by rewriting the Constitutional Court’s ruling on the Thai marriage law. On November 17, …Read More »
  • New House map sets stage for Brooklyn slugfest headlined by Bill de Blasio, Mondaire Jones

    New House map sets stage for Brooklyn slugfest headlined by Bill de Blasio, Mondaire Jones

    Published by New York Daily News NEW YORK — The ink has barely dried on New York’s much-revised House map, but a radically transformed 10th Congressional District has set the stage for an unruly political scramble …Read More »
Previous Post: « Georgia Senate Passes Anti-Gay ‘Religious Freedom on Steroids’ Bill
Next Post: John McAfee: FBI Forcing Apple to Create iPhone Backdoor is ‘the End of America’ – WATCH »

Primary Sidebar

News

  • Harris, White House Spox Rip Oklahoma For Passing Near-Total Abortion Ban Weeks After Leaked Supreme Court Opinion

    Harris, White House Spox Rip Oklahoma For Passing Near-Total Abortion Ban Weeks After Leaked Supreme Court Opinion

  • Trump pays $110,000 fine for blocking New York state tax probe

    Trump pays $110,000 fine for blocking New York state tax probe

  • Erdogan demands concessions to back Swedish, Finnish NATO membership

    Erdogan demands concessions to back Swedish, Finnish NATO membership

  • Zelensky says Ukraine has ‘broken the backbone’ of the Russian army

    Zelensky says Ukraine has ‘broken the backbone’ of the Russian army

Break

  • Evan Spiegel & Miranda Kerr Pay Off $10 Million In Loans Of Otis College’s Graduating Class

    Evan Spiegel & Miranda Kerr Pay Off $10 Million In Loans Of Otis College’s Graduating Class

  • Vladimir Putin’s Daughter SECRETLY Living In Germany With Man Named Igor Zelensky

    Vladimir Putin’s Daughter SECRETLY Living In Germany With Man Named Igor Zelensky

  • Tucker Carlson: Voice of white America’s outrage and fears

    Tucker Carlson: Voice of white America’s outrage and fears

  • Viola Davis was called by director’s maid’s name

    Viola Davis was called by director’s maid’s name

RSS Partner Links

  • Pati LuPone pays visit to Colbert tonight!
  • Gio Benitez and Tommy DiDario are in LA!
  • Wendy Williams Has Been Given A Financial Guardian, And She’s Not Thrilled About That
  • Gay New Yorker Shot Dead On Subway ... Why? + THE OWL HOUSE Brings Gay Kiss To Disney Channel + Putin Loses A Diplomat + MORE! — 6-PACK
  • OMG, he’s naked: German actor David Bredin in ‘Tamara’
  • OMG, WATCH: Courteney Cox teases SCREAM 6!
  • Morning Round-Up: Chris Meloni; Maggie Smith; Max Greenfield & Jake Johnson; Hugh Jackman & more!
  • Birthday Sluts
  • Manspread Monday

Most Recent

  • Indonesia summons Britain’s envoy after furore over rainbow flag

    Indonesia summons Britain’s envoy after furore over rainbow flag

  • Dave Chappelle’s alleged attacker was ‘triggered’ by his jokes

    Dave Chappelle’s alleged attacker was ‘triggered’ by his jokes

  • Hayley Kiyoko Comes Out About Dating ‘Bachelor’ Star Becca Tilley In Video For Her Catchy New “For the Girls” A Parody of Lesbian Dates, Reality Tropes: WATCH

    Hayley Kiyoko Comes Out About Dating ‘Bachelor’ Star Becca Tilley In Video For Her Catchy New “For the Girls” A Parody of Lesbian Dates, Reality Tropes: WATCH

  • Activists Rally, Make Case For Thailand Marriage Equality; Present Rewritten Version of  Constitutional Court’s Ruling On Marriage Law

    Activists Rally, Make Case For Thailand Marriage Equality; Present Rewritten Version of Constitutional Court’s Ruling On Marriage Law

  • New House map sets stage for Brooklyn slugfest headlined by Bill de Blasio, Mondaire Jones

    New House map sets stage for Brooklyn slugfest headlined by Bill de Blasio, Mondaire Jones

  • Kate McKinnon Leaving SNL; What? Also Aidy Bryant, Pete Davidson  and Kyle Mooney Set to Depart After This Season.  Season Finale TONIGHT

    Kate McKinnon Leaving SNL; What? Also Aidy Bryant, Pete Davidson and Kyle Mooney Set to Depart After This Season. Season Finale TONIGHT

  • Explicit Photos To Blame? ‘Speechless’ Madonna Is Outraged After Being BLOCKED From Instagram Live

    Explicit Photos To Blame? ‘Speechless’ Madonna Is Outraged After Being BLOCKED From Instagram Live

Most Commented

Social

Twitter @tlrd | Facebook | Instagram @tlrd
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2022 · Log in