US: Florida gay couples sue state for recognition of out-of-state same-sex marriages
Eight gay couples in the US state of Florida have filed a lawsuit against the state which claims it discriminates by not recognising their out-of-state marriages.
The lawsuit was filed alongside the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), and SAVE, which advocates for trans rights. The suit is the latest in a string of similar lawsuits across the US to fight for the recognition of marriages entered into in other states where same-sex marriage is legal.
Plaintiffs in the case argue that some are not recognised as the parents of adoptive children, and that the law banning the recognition of their marriages undermines the life-long bonds they have entered into.
Other pitfalls of the lack of recognition include health insurance purposes, inheritance difficulties and retirement benefits.
The lawsuit names the state’s Governor Rick Scott, Attorney general Pam Bondi, and several other top officials.
