Gay couples in Arizona are celebrating a federal court’s ruling to allow same-sex nuptials.

Paul Guerrero, president of Wingspan, a gay rights organization in Tucson, said he didn’t think Arizona would ever change its stance against gay marriage, “I’m actually moving out of state because I didn’t think it would be legal in Arizona. I’m getting married next year so I’m moving to New York to get married and now people can stay. And that is a reason to celebrate,” he said.

In the hours following the court’s ruling, same-sex couple began showing up at their county clerks offices to obtain a marriage license.

Peter Bramley and Jeff Ferst married in California one year ago, and are grateful

Arizona will now recognize their relationship, “for us now its great because we
continue to live our lives the same way we have up to now except now we are
recognized by the state“ said Ferst.

Arizona’s attorney general Tom Horne has said he will not appeal the court’s ruling, but couples like Peter and Jeff remain concerned, Bramley said “Its still possible to be fired for being gay, it is still possible to be discriminated against in housing for being gay I think its hard to ratify marriage and still fire them for being who they
are.“

Arizona now joins more than 30 other states that allow same-sex couples to be
legally married.

Alexyz Liggins is a reporter for Arizona Sonora News Service, a service from the School of Journalism at the University of Arizona. Reach her at [email protected]