APR 13 2015, 6:07
PM
A lesbian couple sued the U.S. island
of Guam on Monday, five days after
they were denied a wedding license, in just the second legal challenge to
restrictions on same-sex marriage in the U.S.
Kathleen Aguero and Loretta Pangelinan,
both 28, said in a 25-page suit (PDF) filed in U.S. District Court for Guam in
Hagatna that while they could have chosen to fly to a mainland state that
recognizes same-sex marriage, they "wish to marry on Guam
so that all their friends and family may attend and participate in their joyous
occasion."
The suit, which names Gov. Eddie Calvo and
territorial Registrar Carolyn Garrido as defendants, says Aguero and Pangelinan
sought a wedding license last Wednesday in the village of Mangilao but
officials refused to accept the application — even though Guam is part of the
9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which has ruled in favor of same-sex
marriage.
The suit says the clerk's office gave
Aguero and Pangelinan two documents — a 2009 opinion from the Guam
attorney general's office and a copy of the Guam Code, both specifying that
"marriage means the legal union of persons of the opposite sex."
"We're seeking marriage equality for
all," R. Todd Thompson, the women's attorney, told NBC station KUAM of
Hagatna. "We are asking the judge to obey the 9th Circuit precedent, which
says that sex is not an appropriate distinction to make when filing for a
marriage license."
In a statement, Calvo's office said: "Guam law, as currently written, prescribes marriage as
between a man and a woman. Given this information, unless the law is changed by
the Legislature, or unless a judicial edict is issued declaring the Guam law to be inorganic or unconstitutional, he believes
the Department of Public Health should continue to enforce the law as
written."
Only one other case has been filed
addressing the legality of same-sex marriage in the U.S.
territories, whose residents are U.S.
Puerto Rico's justice secretary said last
month that he would ask a federal appeals court to overturn the island's ban on
same-sex marriage as "legally indefensible" in a suit filed by two
Puerto Rico women who were legally married in Massachusetts
Structure of the Lead：
WHO-
WHEN-
WHAT-Kathleen Aguero and Loretta Pangelinan are seeking marriage equality for all
WHY-They Guam so that all their friends and family may attend and participate in their joyous occasion
WHERE-
HOW-not given
Keywords：
1.lesbian:女同性戀
2.defendant:被告；辯護的
3.attorney:律師
4.judicial:司法的；法庭的
5.edict:官方命令；勒令
6.inorganic:無組織的；無生物的
7.unconstitutional:違反憲法的
8.citizenship:公民權
9.joyous:快樂的
10.prescribe:規定
