Mississippi's same-sex couples to record licenses

Hattiesburg, Miss. (AP) — Advocates for same-sex couples say couples in eight Mississippi counties will record their out-of-state marriage licenses Wednesday at their local Chancery Court offices.

Organized by the Campaign for Southern Equality, the statewide day of action for marriage equality will involve couples recording their licenses in Amite, Desoto, Hancock, Harrison, Hinds, Lafayette, Lamar and Pearl River counties.

Rev. Jasmine Beach-Ferrara, the group's executive director, says the participating couples want to "create a public record of their love and commitment." She says there's an urgent need for legal protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender families and individuals in Mississippi.

The group, in a news release Tuesday, said 2012 Census data shows 3,488 same-sex households in Mississippi and 26 percent of them are raising children — the highest percentage of any state.

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The Gayly – August 13, 2014 @ 9:40am