Gay Marriages Spreading Slowly Across Pennsylvania

Keystone Politics rounds up the phenomenon:

Meanwhile, now that the growing number of LGBT couples with marriage licenses in Pennsylvania is over 100, some progressive mayors around the state have decided to perform marriage ceremonies for LGBT couples with licenses.

Mayor John Fetterman of Braddock, PA performed Allegheny County’s first gay marriage for a couple with a license from Montgomery County on August 5, and has been keeping busy providing the service to more and more LGBT couples ever since. Shortly after, Mayor Elizabeth Goreham of State College, PA was asked by the press if she’d do the same and said she would. She later said State College Borough advised her against it, but still hosted a gay marriage ceremony performed by a local pastor on August 19, and said she’d like to officiate LGBT marriages in the future. Finally, two mayors in Lancaster County, Mayor Philip Kresge of Mountville and Mayor Mary Ginder of Mount Joy, both told Dan Nephin of Lancaster Online that if an LGBT couple came to them with a marriage license from Montgomery County requesting a marriage ceremony, they would be willing to officiate it for them.

A judge will hear the state’s challenge to Montgomery County’s issuance of gay marriage licenses on Sept. 4. Because of that, Keystone Politics points out, “until PA’s marriage equality ban is officially off the books, these marriage licenses won’t mean full equality for these couples.”