Virginia removes the obligation to declare race on marriage forms

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Ashley Ramkishun

Couples from the US state of Virginia will no longer have to declare their race to obtain a marriage certificate, announced his attorney general.

Mark Herring issued new legal guidelines after three couples filed lawsuits classifying the law as "unconstitutional" and "reflective of a racist past."

Some options on the forms include Aryan, Moor, Octoroon and Mulatto.

A couple's lawyer praised this decision, but said he wanted to fight to completely remove the law.

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Herring issued Friday's e-mail instructions for lawyers and the media.

Candidates for a marriage license can now choose not to answer the question mentioning their race.

Mr Herring said in a statement: "We are happy to help solve this problem quickly and give these couples what they have requested.These changes will ensure that no Virginian will be forced to to pretend to be married ".

He said the guidelines followed the principle "that laws must be interpreted in such a way as to avoid any conflict with the constitution".

"I appreciate the courage these couples have shown in raising this issue, and I wish them the best in their lives together."

The three couples in question are Brandyn Churchill and Sophie Rogers; Ashley Ramkishun and Samuel Sarfo; and Amelia Spencer and Kendall Poole.

Lawyer Victor M Glasberg brought a lawsuit on their behalf, saying it should continue until the law is declared unconstitutional.

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Brandyn Churchill / Sophie Rogers

He told The Washington Post that the new guidelines were "welcome, it's very much appreciated and it's the right thing to do as an initial answer.But the law is obnoxious and … we have to to get rid of it ".

Ms. Ramkishun told the newspaper, "This does not solve the fact that there is still a law in Virginia." The state may change its mind at any time to determine whether the racial issue is optional or not. no."

Mr. Churchill told the BBC that when he applied for a license in Rockbridge County with Mr. Rogers, they found that "many of the categories were obsolete and offensive racist terms that do not exist. have no place in the 21st century.We said we were uncomfortable and left.

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Victor M Glasberg

Mr Glasberg told the BBC that he had been thinking about a challenge for many years. When he got married in 1981, he asked him if he could place "human" in the category, but he was answered no.

Virginia is one of eight American states with a legal obligation to identify race before marriage.