OKLAHOMA CITY — Lawyers for an Oklahoma clerk who refused to grant a marriage license to a same-sex couple say a federal judge was wrong to overturn the state’s voter-approved ban on gay marriages.

In a court filing Monday night, the Alliance Defending Freedom cites courts and anthropologists in saying children are better off in a home with a mother and a father.

The group also says that the two women in Tulsa had no fundamental right to marry.

Federal judge Terence Kern rejected Oklahoma’s same-sex marriage ban last month, saying it excluded one class of citizens from a constitutional right.

But the state’s appeal says that if Kern’s ruling stands, it would send the message that marriage exists “to advance adult desires” rather than putting children’s needs first.

Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or to participate in the conversation. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.

Related Stories
Latest Articles