Mayor Slay Marries Four Same-Sex Couples At City Hall

Mayor Francis Slay issued marriage licenses to four same-sex couples Wednesday night, in a direct challenge to Missouri's ban on such unions.

"St. Louis is a city that doesn’t tolerate discrimination," Mayor Francis Slay said in a statement. "We are sending a message on what’s right, and I can’t think of anything more right than this."

The four couples are all from St. Louis. The first to receive a license, Richard Eaton and John Durnell, have been together for 39 years. City officials have no plans to marry additional couples.

"As state court after state court has deemed barring couples to marry under the law unconstitutional, it is time to make a stand," said Recorder of Deeds Sharon Carpenter, whose office issues marriage licenses. "It is time to show that the people of St. Louis support equality and will fight for it. This is not a decision I have made lightly, but it is a right that must be defended. St. Louis stands with those who stand for love."

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