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People seeking a marriage license in Virginia will no longer have to disclose their race, said the state attorney general, announcing that he was removing the obligation that had led three couples to take legal action.
State court clerks were notified of the change to an email Friday, according to the Associated Press.
"These changes will ensure that no Virginian will be forced to identify to get married," said AG Mark Herring in a statement to the AP. "I appreciate the courage these couples have shown in raising this issue and I wish them the best in their lives together."
Last week, three couples sued in the East Virginia District, in which they called the law "offensive," "unconstitutional," and "reflective of a racist past." .
One of the couples, Sophie Rogers and her fiance, Brandyn Churchill, went to the clerk's office of the Rockbridge Circuit Court to obtain a marriage license before their wedding on October 19th. They were informed that if they did not reveal their race, they would not receive their license.
Rogers and Churchill, along with the other two couples, refused to provide their breed and were all denied marriage licenses, according to the lawsuit.
"The complainants believe that the requirement of racial labeling is scientifically groundless, misleading, highly controversial, highly controversial, fairly opinionated, virtually useless, offensive to human dignity, an infringement of privacy compelling to an untimely public categorization and reflecting a racist past, "the lawsuit said.
According to the AP, Herring wrote to the director and clerk of the Division of Vital Records a note stating that circuit court clerks must, in accordance with the law, ask people who wish to obtain a marriage license their race, without having to answer.
They will receive a marriage license, whether they reveal their race or not.
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