A federal judge in Oregon overturned the state's ban on gay marriage on Monday, making it the 13th straight ruling in favor of same-sex marriage, the Associated Press reported.
The ruling goes against state organizations who say that legalizing gay marriage is the result of court action, and does not reflect what the people want. But U.S. District Judge Michael McShane said the ban, which was approved by voters, is unconstitutional and discriminates against gay couples.
"I believe that if we can look for a moment past gender and sexuality, we can see in these plaintiffs nothing more or less than our own families," McShane wrote according to the AP. "Families who we would expect our constitution to protect, if not exalt, in equal measure."
Oregon is now the 13th state in a row to have a ruling in favor of same-sex marriage ever since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a portion of the federal ban in 2013. Oregon will also become the 18th state to legalize gay marriage if McShane's ruling isn't appealed.
Opponents like the Oregon Family Council criticized the judge for deciding against the will of Oregon voters.
"While tonight's newscast will feature tearful couples at staged PR activities in courthouses across the state, the real tears should be for the next generation as we witness our constitutional republic sink into a banana republic," OFC spokeswoman Teresa Harke told the AP.
McShane decided on the case, brought on by four gay and lesbian couples, after rejecting a bid from the National Organization for Marriage to keep the ban in place. The organization appealed the decision but was unsuccessful.
Several couples waited outside the clerk's office in Multnomah County on Monday for the judge's ruling so they could get their marriage licenses.
"We always knew we wanted to spend our whole life together," Laurie Brown, who got engaged to her girlfriend of 10 years in April, told the AP. "Everything has fallen into place."
