WHAT TO DO WITH THE PRESS...

As I said before, Rachel and I fell in love and decided to try for a legal marriage license. I called ahead to see what the criteria was, hoping to trip them up once we got to the court house. This is what they told me I needed to get legally married in Athens County, Ohio:

• One party must be a legal resident of Athens Co.
• Both parties must be of legal age (photo ID for proof).
• Fourty-two dollars.

Well, since we fit all of the above criteria, we went to the Athens County courthouse on January 9, 1996. We walked into the probate office very nervously and asked to apply for a marriage license. The receptionist directed us with her mouth agape to another woman. She asked us for our licenses with a very audible shake in her voice and, upon examining them closely, inquired "You're both female?" We nodded at her and smiled. She was completely horrified and said that she could not offer a marriage license to two women. We asked her why and she told us to come back at four o'clock and talk to Judge Robe.

So, we met with Judge Robe in his chambers and he basically told us that he sympathized with our situation but had no authority to give us the license. I said to him, "I see that you're married. So, you are allowed to marry the woman you love, but I am not?" He said that he was sorry, but that Ohio law forbids same-sex marriage. I didn't know the law that day, but I did look it up later on. I wish I had known it that day, but I don't think that arguing law with the judge would have made matters any better for us. He told us to get a lawyer and come back. We have yet to do that.

OUR ON-LINE SCRAPBOOK

• Our first article in The Post sometime in late January or early February 1996.
• Athens Messenger February 23, 1996.
• The Summer Post July 11, 1996.
• Women of Athens spread in The Athens News October 14, 1996.
• Coming Out Day Rally The Athens News October 14, 1996.