Massachusetts gay marriage pioneers split
The lesbian couple whose relationship spurred the state of Massachusetts to open up marriage for gay couples has separated.
Julie and Hillary Goodridge, who were the lead plaintiffs in the landmark 2004 case announced an “amicable” separation last night.
Mary Breslauer, a spokeswoman for the pair, told The Boston Globe, “Julie and Hillary Goodridge are amicably living apart.”
“As always their number one priority is raising their daughter, and like the other plaintiff couples in this case, they made an enormous contribution toward equal marriage. But they are no longer in the public eye, and request that their privacy be respected.”
Friends said the split shows that gay couples are just like heterosexuals in that they can get married and later separate.
The separation comes as the State of Massachussetts recently decided it would reconsider its gay marriage law.