Lesbian couple who led same-sex ‘marriage’ lawsuit to divorce

Boston, Mass., Feb 4, 2009 / 20:54 pm

The lesbian couple whose legal case led the Supreme Court of Massachusetts to impose same-sex “marriage” on the state has filed for divorce.

Julie and Hillary Goodridge were among seven homosexual couples whose lawsuit Goodridge vs. Department of Public Health led Massachusetts to become the first U.S. state to recognize same-sex “marriage.”

The two were “married” on May 17, 2004 after a court ruling in their favor.

In 2006, the couple announced that they were separating, Fox News reports.

State recognition of same-sex couples has prompted many legal battles and many more are expected if more such laws are passed.

In November, the Becket Fund released a study titled “Same-Sex Marriage and State Anti-Discrimination Laws” which claimed the legal recognition of same-sex marriage could affect over 350 separate state anti-discrimination laws and could render objectors to same-sex marriage vulnerable to lawsuits.

Last week, in a case that has seen several reversals, a Vermont judge denied primary custody of a girl to the former partner of an ex-lesbian woman. Virginian Lisa Miller, the girl’s biological mother, has been in a custody fight with ex-partner Janet Jenkins of Vermont.

Though Judge William Cohen did not give Jenkins primary custody, he allowed to her extended visits including five weeks in the summer, CBN News reports.

Miller has accused Jenkins of abusing her during their relationship and claims that her daughter, Isabella, is traumatized by her visits with Jenkins.

She claims Isabella has spoken of killing herself after the visits and was required to bathe naked with Jenkins. Miller’s attorneys claim they have witnesses supporting such allegations, but the court has not scheduled a hearing on the issue, LifeSiteNews.com reports.

Miller is being represented by the group Liberty Counsel. Mat Staver, founder of the organization, lamented the extended visit periods.

"[Five weeks is] a long time to have a child separated from any parent, let alone have a child put in an activist lesbian household that has an agenda to ultimately brainwash this child," he said, according to CNB News. "Right now we're working on moving forward in the courts of Virginia."

Staver said Jenkins has tried in the past to promote the homosexual lifestyle by reading Isabella books about having "two mommies."