Hagatna: The governor of Guam, a tiny US territory in the Pacific, on Wednesday backed legislation allowing same sex marriage but said the issue, which has sharply divided Americans, should be put to a referendum.
Guam`s attorney general has written to the public health department urging it to start accepting and processing marriage license applications from same-sex couples, two days after a gay couple sued the government in court.
Loretta Pangelinan and Kathleen Aguero had filed a case before the U.S. District Court in Guam on Monday after they were denied a marriage license application.
Citing a decision from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, Elizabeth Barret-Anderson said on Wednesday gay marriages were constitutional. "Marriage is a fundamental right which cannot be denied based on gender," she said in a memo.
In 2009, a bill proposing to legalise civil union between same-sex couples did not pass after a debate that polarised the predominantly Roman Catholic community.
"The Guam legislature, the people of Guam`s representatives, can take action to change the law, or a referendum can be held giving the people of Guam a direct voice in this issue," the governor, Eddie Calvo, said in a statement.
