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Discrimination complaints by an Illinois gay couple turned down by two venues in their quest for a site for their civil union ceremony can proceed to a hearing, the Illinois Department of Human Rights has ruled.
The department announced this week that it found "substantial evidence" of discrimination against the couple, a finding that is not a final ruling but means the men can have their complaints heard by an arbitrator, a circuit court judge, or the Illinois Human Rights Commission, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Mark and Todd Wathen (pictured, from left) of Mattoon filed complaints against inns in two Illinois towns -- Beall Mansion Bed and Breakfast in Alton, just across the Mississippi River from St. Louis, and TimberCreek Bed and Breakfast near Paxton, in east-central Illinois -- that declined to host their civil union. They allege that the owners of the B&Bs specifically did not want to host a same-sex union ceremony, something the business operators deny. They ended up having the ceremony in their backyard June 6.
Todd Wathen said they would discuss their next steps with their attorney. "We felt we were right in doing what we did," he told the Post-Dispatch. "We are pleased by the fact that someone agrees with us."
The Illinois civil union law went into effect June 1.
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Trudy Ring
Trudy Ring is The Advocate’s senior politics editor and copy chief. She has been a reporter and editor for daily newspapers and LGBTQ+ weeklies/monthlies, trade magazines, and reference books. She is a political junkie who thinks even the wonkiest details are fascinating, and she always loves to see political candidates who are groundbreaking in some way. She enjoys writing about other topics as well, including religion (she’s interested in what people believe and why), literature, theater, and film. Trudy is a proud “old movie weirdo” and loves the Hollywood films of the 1930s and ’40s above all others. Other interests include classic rock music (Bruce Springsteen rules!) and history. Oh, and she was a Jeopardy! contestant back in 1998 and won two games. Not up there with Amy Schneider, but Trudy still takes pride in this achievement.
Trudy Ring is The Advocate’s senior politics editor and copy chief. She has been a reporter and editor for daily newspapers and LGBTQ+ weeklies/monthlies, trade magazines, and reference books. She is a political junkie who thinks even the wonkiest details are fascinating, and she always loves to see political candidates who are groundbreaking in some way. She enjoys writing about other topics as well, including religion (she’s interested in what people believe and why), literature, theater, and film. Trudy is a proud “old movie weirdo” and loves the Hollywood films of the 1930s and ’40s above all others. Other interests include classic rock music (Bruce Springsteen rules!) and history. Oh, and she was a Jeopardy! contestant back in 1998 and won two games. Not up there with Amy Schneider, but Trudy still takes pride in this achievement.