Making history
Heather (left) and Kelly Harrison of Nesbit became the first same-sex couple to receive a marriage license in DeSoto County on Wednesday.
Kelly and Heather Harrison, marriage license in hand, left the DeSoto County Courthouse in Hernando on Wednesday, ready to plan a July 14 wedding.
The Nesbit couple signed their way into the county’s history by becoming the first samesex couple to receive a marriage license since last week’s historic U.S. Supreme Court ruling legalizing same-sex unions in all 50 states.
“It’s finally here, and we can move on and do what we want to do and not worry about it,” said Kelly Harrison, whose legal last name is Pouliot even though she’s already taken Heather Harrison’s last name.
The couple arrived at the office of Circuit Clerk Dale Kelly Thompson about 8:15 a.m., shortly after it opened, and took about five minutes to complete paperwork.
News media were not allowed in the office while the couple were completing the process, but they were seen standing at the counter, chatting and laughing with one another during the short wait.
After leaving Thompson’s office, Kelly Harrison said the process was simple since much of the application had been filled out ahead of time at home. She said everything was handled “very professionally.”
Circuit Clerk Thompson and other office workers declined to comment.
The Harrisons initially went to Thompson’s office Monday but were turned away because of lingering questions over issuing licenses to same-sex couples. Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood sent out a memo giving clerks in the state’s 82 counties the go-ahead, but Thompson was still unclear.
Tuesday, she said the office would begin issuing licenses to same-sex couples even though it violated her personal beliefs.
Clerks in various counties around the nation, primarily in the South, have been slow to begin issuing same-sex licenses. A few have resigned rather than do so or have opted to stop issuing marriage licenses altogether.
In Grenada County, Mississippi, Clerk Linda Barnette announced her resignation over the issue Tuesday, though she was set to retire at the end of the year anyway.
Kelly Harrison said she and Heather plan to have an official wedding ceremony in DeSoto County on the birthday of Heather’s late mother. They had an unofficial ceremony in Tennessee two years ago.
Until then, Kelly said they’re just ready for life to return to normal, hopefully.
“We just want everybody to know that we’re good people, and this was never about making a scene; we’re pretty private people,” she said.
“This was about helping the state address this on behalf of other people who may have a harder time coming out and being the first, either because they’re nervous or because they’re worried about their job.”
What does the chance to marry finally mean?
“It’s a forever commitment,” said Heather Harrison.
“It’s till death do us part, love ya like crazy no matter what you do.”