GAY MARRIAGE LEGAL IN NEW MEXICO

A New Mexico Supreme Court ruling will allow same-sex couples to marry throughout the American state.

Although same-sex marriage was already legal in eight New Mexico counties, Thursday’s ruling that barring same-sex marriage is unconstitutional, means that the right is now extended across the state.

New Mexico’s 33 counties had asked the court to address the issue in an effort to establish a consistent state policy on gay marriage.

“We hold that the State of New Mexico is constitutionally required to allow same-gender couples to marry and must extend to them the rights, protections, and responsibilities that derive from civil marriage under New Mexico law,” said the court.

This makes New Mexico the 17th state in the US to have legalised same-sex marriage.

“The court is entirely correct that denying lesbian and gay couples the same rights as everyone else is fundamentally unjust,” commented Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin.

“Regardless of where you live, all people should have the ability to marry the person they love,” he said.