From left: George Mason University freshman Megan Crenshaw, GMU freshman Emily Simpson, GMU freshman Evan Baines, the Rev. Dr. David Lindsey of Little River United Church of Christ in Annandale, the Rev. Hank Fairman of Little River United Church of Christ, Jon Fleming of Centreville, Cathy Baskin of Ravensworth Baptist Church in Annandale and Patricia Burton of Reston all came out to the Fairfax County Courthouse to support the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to turn down same sex marriage ban appeals on Oct. 6. Photo by Tim Peterson.
At 10:01 a.m. on Oct. 6, Cathy Baskin of Ravensworth Baptist Church in Annandale received her usual New York Times set of alerts. “I read it 15 times,” said Baskin. “This can’t be true.”
Around 11:30 a.m., the Rev. Laura Horton-Ludwig of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fairfax started seeing social media alerts as well. And she received an email blast from People of Faith for Equality in Virginia, the Richmond-based group that’s been organizing clergy members around the state to be prepared for this moment.
The U.S. Supreme Court had announced it would not review five cases that sought the freedom to marry. The decision effectively allows rulings supporting same sex marriage to take effect in the Tenth, Seventh and Fourth Circuit courts, and rejects bans on gay marriage in Colorado, Indiana, Kansas, Oklahoma, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Utah, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
Virginia’s Fourth Circuit made the formal mandate at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, meaning marriages could commence immediately.
"A new day has dawned,” Attorney General Mark Herring said in a statement, “and the rights guaranteed by our Constitution are shining through.”
“I'm glad; I would've preferred that they actually take a case and settle the law,” U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-11) said in an interview just after the mandate was announced. “Equal protection under the law means just that. Whether you're gay or straight, you're entitled to equal protection. I think that's what this is all about.”
Horton-Ludwig didn’t have any other appointments after the morning, so she made the short drive from their church to the Fairfax County Courthouse. “It was obvious to all of us whoever could get over the courthouse should do that. It was very fortunate,” she said.
In her robe and stole, Horton-Ludwig saw a couple getting their license. Then, she said, “I just went up to them and said ‘Excuse me, I wanted to wish you congratulations. I’m here if there’s anything I can do for you.’ They decided they did want to get married today. That was just a joy.”
The first couple at this courthouse was Yvonne Landis and Melodie Mayo of Falls Church. They were going to do the ceremony in front of the building until a staff member suggested they use the central courtyard.
“It was a huge honor, very exciting,” said Horton-Ludwig. “This is a day that a lot of us have been working very hard for for a long time. It’s just incredibly joyful that we finally have marriage equality in Virginia, that we can honor and recognize that legally. It was really powerful.”