Gay folks still can't get hitched in California and many other states, but that's not stopping same-sex couples from requesting marriage licenses at city and county clerk's offices today — Valentine's Day — in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and other cities.

Marriage Equality U.S.A. and Get Equal — two gay rights groups — have organized the nationwide “counter” actions, in which gays and lesbians are asked to visit their local clerk's office and demand a marriage license.

One such action is taking place today at the East Los Angeles Clerk Office at 4716 E. Cesar Chavez Avenue between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Attorney Gloria Allred will speak at the L.A. event.

“As we cheer on our heterosexual fellow citizens who are able to marry on this wonderful day of love,” says Molly McKay, Marriage Equality U.S.A. media director, in a press statement, “we will remind the world that falling in love and the desire to marry the person you love is a universal sentiment and that all citizens should have the freedom to marry the one they love.”

She adds, “Prop. 8 shattered that dream for lesbian and gay Californians, and every day it remains in effect real people are being hurt.”

Get Equal Co-Founder Robin McGehee asks in a press statement, “What lengths would you go to in order to get married or to fight for the freedom to marry for those you care about? Would you take a few hours of your time to turn out for one of the events being organized next week?”

As the Proposition 8 federal lawsuit works its way through the appeals process, California still does not allow gay and lesbian couples to legally marry.

Contact Patrick Range McDonald at pmcdonald@laweekly.com.

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