Is Utah the 18th Marriage Equality State??

OMFG... I absolutely did not see this one coming. Earlier this afternoon, a federal judge in Utah struck down Utah's ban on same-sex marriage, asserting that it violates the U.S. Constitution's guarantees of equal protection and due process!:

"The state’s current laws deny its gay and lesbian citizens their fundamental right to marry and, in so doing, demean the dignity of these same-sex couples for no rational reason," wrote U.S. District Court Judge Robert J. Shelby. "Accordingly, the court finds that these laws are unconstitutional."

Needless to say, neither Gov. Gary Herbert nor Utah's Attorney General's Office are pleased with this decision. They immediately began complaining about Judge Shelby being an "activist federal judge" and stating that they are drafting a motion seeking a stay on today's ruling, as well as an appeal.

Meanwhile, dozens of same-sex couples are lined up in Salt Lake City in an effort to get legally married before any stay motions are hypothetically approved. Utah allows couples to officially marry and receive their marriage licenses all at once. This couple is reportedly the first same-sex couple to legally marry in Utah.

This will not be an easy win. The Utah government will fight this battle tooth-and-nail all the way to their highest courts. But Pandora's Box has been opened. Utah no has numerous same-sex couples who have successfully applied for and received legal marriage licenses. That cannot be taken from them.

This is indeed an exciting day!