The federal judge who on Wednesday upheld Louisiana’s ban on gay marriage wrote in the ruling that he is concerned about a slippery slope from same-sex marriage to marriage between relatives.
U.S. District Judge Martin Feldman wrote in the ruling that, “perhaps in a new established point of view, marriage will be reduced to contract law, and, by contract, anyone will be able to claim marriage,” as Buzzfeed’s Chris Geidner highlighted.
Feldman then wonders what same-sex marriage could possibly lead to:
For example, must the states permit or recognize a marriage between an aunt and niece? Aunt and nephew? Brother/brother? Father and child? May minors marry? Must marriage be limited to only two people? What about a transgender spouse? Is such a union same-gender or male-female? All such unions would undeniably be equally committed to love and caring for one another, just like the plaintiffs.
Feldman was the first federal judge to uphold a state ban on same-sex marriage since the Supreme Court ruled in Windsor v. U.S. that the federal government must offer benefits to gay couples.
