Alejandra and Rhayemun Black are shown at the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Southern Nevada Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2014. People gathered to celebrate a ruling by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that overturned Nevada’s prohibition on gay marriage. The couple married a year ago after Rhayemun changed his gender to male.
Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2014 | 10:45 p.m.
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Gay-rights advocates and politicians scrambled to assemble in downtown Las Vegas Tuesday evening for a surprise celebration of the state's sudden legalization of same-sex marriage.
More than 200 packed into the Gay & Lesbian Community Center of Southern Nevada to commemorate the unexpected federal appeals court ruling upholding gay marriage in Nevada and Idaho.
"We had no idea this would happen," said Tom Kovach, a board member at the Center. "We didn't have any notice."
Couples hugged, kissed and cried as they listened to speeches delivered by openly gay public officials that included Assemblymen Andrew Martin and James Healey and state Sen. Kelvin Atkison — who shared with the crowd his minutes-long engagement to partner Sherwood "Woody" Howard.
"This is just huge," said Gwen Leonard as she hugged her wife, Mercy Leonard. The couple married in Washington, D.C., in 2012. "Now we're recognized (as a couple) here."
Some carried rainbow flags and makeshift signs hailing the decision — one married woman even wore a wedding dress in honor of same-sex couples who want to marry.
Tuesday's unexpected news came a day after another surprise decision from the nation's top court to reject appeals from five states seeking to preserve their bans. That decision cleared the way for a broad expansion of gay marriage in the country.
Eight same-sex couples led the challenge to Nevada's 2002 voter-approved ban on gay weddings. A federal judge ruled against the group in 2012, which led to the 9th Circuit Court challenge.
Clark County's marriage license bureau has already set a 2 p.m. Wednesday time to begin accepting marriage-license applications from gay and lesbian couples — just 24 hours after court's decision.
Gov. Brian Sandoval and state Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto issued a joint statement late Tuesday saying the state will take no further action and noting that same sex marriage is now law in Nevada.
"We've been waiting 16 1/2 years to get married in Nevada," said Fletcher Whitwell, a plaintiff in the 9th Circuit case.
The couple haven't set a wedding date yet — they won't be flocking to a chapel anytime soon.
"There's so much planning to do," Whitwell's partner Greg Flamer said.
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