PARKERSBURG - West Virginia's reluctance to recognize marriages or unions between same-sex couples creates a problem for gay citizens in committed relationships.
The Mountain State's stance on gay marriage is a stark contrast to the recent order issued by New York Governor David Paterson telling state agencies to recognize same-sex unions performed in states and countries where they are legal.
Charlie Rouse, president of the West Virginia Foundation for Equality, said West Virginia's Defense of Marriage Act signed into law during the administration of Gov. Cecil Underwood prohibits the state from acknowledging marriages occurring between members of the same gender. Rouse said that includes same gender marriages conducted legally in other states.
"Currently no challenges to this law are pending in state courts, although we are hoping awareness on this discrimination is brought to light," Rouse said.
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Large companies often recognize diversity as necessary, Rouse said. This philosophy does not mesh with the state's stance.
"Essentially, because we don't embrace diversity in West Virginia we lose jobs," he said.
Jimmy Pickett, PFLAG representative of the Upper Ohio Valley, said it is difficult to get government officials to fight for gay rights in West Virginia.
"In Wheeling, we have a Human Rights Commission which has asked the mayor and city council to include the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community in the protected class of people, but they will not fight for this issue. I was a human rights commissioner who resigned because I did not think the other members of the commission were committed to including GLBT individuals and families in protected classes," Pickett said.
In five years only the most radical fringe will oppose equality on marriage for gays.
