Gay Dallas Judge Refuses To Marry Straight Couples

Dallas judge Tonya Parker will conduct marriage ceremonies but only if you’re a male-male or female-female couple. It was revealed this week by the Dallas Voice that the gay judge is refusing to perform straight marriage ceremonies until every other gay person in Texas has the same right.

When turning straight couples away the judge tells them:

“I’m sorry. I don’t perform marriage ceremonies because we are in a state that does not have marriage equality, and until it does, I am not going to partially apply the law to one group of people that doesn’t apply to another group of people.”

Parker is kind to those that show up at her office and instead of turning them away completely she passes them on to other judges so they can get married.

Parker tells the Voice:

“It’s kind of oxymoronic for me to perform ceremonies that can’t be performed for me, so I’m not going to do it.”

For her part Tonya Parker can’t be charged with anything because the Texas Committee on Judicial Ethics deems wedding to be a “discretionary function” that can not interfere with “mandatory judicial duties.”

In any case I think Parker makes a very valid point, why should she have to preside over the exact type of legal ceremony she’s not allowed to enact for herself.

Do you think more gay judges should refuse to perform straight marriage ceremonies until laws in each state allow for gay marriage ceremonies to take place?

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Tags: Gay Judge, Gay Rights, Judge

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James Johnson James is a new media professional with more than half a decade worth of experience in the online writing space. He currently serves as the Associate Editor of Inquisitr.com and the Editor-in-Chief of SocialNewsDaily.com. He also serves as a resident writer for Splash Press Media. In his spare time James consults businesses regarding SEO and Content Development.