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California Couple Refuses To Sign Gender-Neutral Marriage License

By Howard M. Friedman

After the California Supreme Court earlier this year ruled that same-sex marriage is valid, the courts required the state to provide gender-neutral marriage license forms. So the words "bride" and "groom" are now replaced by "Party A" and "Party B". However, Roseville (CA) Pastor Doug Bird, of the Abundant Life Fellowship, is urging couples not to sign the new marriage forms. Yesterday's Sacramento Bee reports that one person following his advice is his daughter, who was recently been married at her father's church. The Placer County Clerk-Recorder Registrar of Voters office has refused to accept her marriage license for filing after she and her husband inserted "bride" and "groom" next to the language referring to Party A and B. Rachel Bird, who describes her stand as "personal-- not religious" has been unable to sign up on her husband's medical insurance since their marriage is not registered with the state. [Thanks to Scott Mange for the lead.] [Corrected].

Full post as published by Religion Clause on September 17, 2008 (boomark / email).