Indiana Must Recognize Another Lesbian Couple's Marriage

The state agreed to recognize the marriage of a terminally ill woman and her wife; it has already recognized the union of two women in a similar situation.

Trudy Ring

Trudy Ring is The Advocate’s senior politics editor and copy chief. She has been a reporter and editor for daily newspapers and LGBTQ+ weeklies/monthlies, trade magazines, and reference books. She is a political junkie who thinks even the wonkiest details are fascinating, and she always loves to see political candidates who are groundbreaking in some way. She enjoys writing about other topics as well, including religion (she’s interested in what people believe and why), literature, theater, and film. Trudy is a proud “old movie weirdo” and loves the Hollywood films of the 1930s and ’40s above all others. Other interests include classic rock music (Bruce Springsteen rules!) and history. Oh, and she was a Jeopardy! contestant back in 1998 and won two games. Not up there with Amy Schneider, but Trudy still takes pride in this achievement.

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Trudy Ring

September 12 2014 3:20 PM EST

November 17 2015 5:28 AM EST

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Under an agreement reached this week, Indiana will recognize the marriage of a second lesbian couple in which one member has a life-threatening illness.

Veronica Romero and Mayra Yvette Rivera, who live in Whiting, Ind., had filed suit seeking recognition of their Illinois marriage because Rivera has advanced ovarian cancer, reports The Times of Munster, Ind. In an agreement reached Wednesday between the couple and the state and approved Thursday by U.S. District Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen, Indiana will recognize their marriage "and, in the event of Rivera's death, issue a death certificate listing her as married and recording Romero as the surviving spouse," the paper reports. Also, the state's Department of Health will assist funeral homes, physicians, and others with duties related to the death certificate.

The women have been together 27 years and were married in Illinois in March. They have two children. In their suit, they noted that lack of marriage recognition deprived them of many spousal rights, such as the ability to make health care decisions for each other.

In April another federal judge had issued a temporary order for Indiana to recognize the marriage of Amy Sandler and Niki Quasney; Quasney also has advanced ovarian cancer. In July a federal appeals court ordered the state to continue recognizing the couple's union.