Same-Sex Couples Wed in Washingtion, DC

A lesbian couple has become the first same-sex pair to be married in Washington, D.C. under the district's new gay marriage law.

Angelisa Young and Sinjoyla Townsend exchanged vows Tuesday at the headquarters of the Human Rights Campaign, a lobbying group for homosexual, bisexual and transgender Americans.

Young and Townsend's ceremony was held nearly one week after they became the first same-sex couple to apply for a marriage license.  The rules require a waiting period of three full business days before marriage licenses can be issued.  

The law was approved in December by the city council.  Opponents of same-sex marriage quickly filed a lawsuit to block it, arguing residents should have been able to vote on the issue.

The lawsuit was rejected by local courts, and U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts rejected an appeal last week.

Roberts ruled it was the high court's practice to defer to D.C. local courts on matters of exclusively local concern.  He also pointed out that Congress could have voted to stop the district from enacting the law, since it has jurisdiction over the city, but refused to do so.

Gay marriage laws have been approved in the states of Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont.

Some information for this report was provided by AP.