West Ashley resident and county councilwoman Colleen Condon has sued the state in order to be able to marry her girlfriend.
Condon and her partner, Nichols Bleckley, applied this month for a state marriage license in the wake of a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision related to marriage equality.
But because of lingering state court wrangling, the couple was put off, prompting Condon, who practices family law to sue.
The suit claims that Condon and Bleckley are being denied the same rights as heterosexual couples who want to marry.
“Lesbians and gay men are a discrete and insular minority, and ongoing prejudice against them continues seriously to curtail the operation of those political processes that might ordinarily be relied upon to protect minorities,” the lawsuit states.
Currently in South Carolina, same-sex marriage is banned thanks to a constitutional amendment shepherded through the General Assembly by another West Ashleyian — suspended state House Speaker Bobby Harrell (R-Charleston).
Harrell stepped down as Speaker recently due to an investigation into alleged campaign fund mishandling on his part. Condon has served on Charleston County Council for several terms, representing West Ashley.
While some have criticized them, Condon and Bleckley have received support from a host of constitutional experts, jurists, and equality organizations. There has also been considerable media attention, including stories in papers across the nation.
Condon responded to the attention on her Facebook page this week: “I’d rather be on camera talking about recycling or zoning but my family is the most important issue to me so I’ll do what it takes to protect us!”
And should she win, she and Bleckley may become the first gay marriage in South Carolina.

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