Oct. 6 marks one year since same-sex marriage was legalized in Virginia. (Photo courtesy: ThinkStock)
In the year since Virginia legalized same-sex marriage, the state has issued 2,670 marriage licenses to same-sex couples, according to a statement released Tuesday by Attorney General Mark Herring. The state has issued 70 birth certificates to same-sex couples, as well, the statement says.
“We take this day to celebrate … but it also serves as a reminder that the work is not yet done,” Herring says in the statement. “All Virginians deserve to be treated with respect, dignity, and equality, and we will continue to fight against discrimination in the workplace, housing, and wherever we find it."
In Virginia, same-sex marriage was legalized after the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal of lower court case last October. No same-sex couples in the state have been denied a license since then, Herring’s statement says. Herring's statement did not say what share of all marriage licenses in the state went to same-sex marriage, and his staff could not be reached for immediate comment.
A Supreme Court decision legalized same-sex marriage nationwide in June.
