Lesbian couple to marry in Oregon

Two women, one of whom is Coquille, will be getting married next May with the Coquille Indian Tribe : As a federally recognized sovereign nation, the tribe is not bound by the Oregon’s Constitution. The tribe recently adopted a law that recognizes same-sex marriage and extends to gay and lesbian partners, at least one of whom must be a Coquille, all tribal benefits of marriage. The Coquilles (which tribal leaders prefer to pronounce KO-kwell) are probably the first tribe in the nation to legalize same-sex marriage, says Brian Gilley, a University of Vermont anthropology professor and author of the book, "Becoming Two-Spirit: Gay Identity and Social Acceptance in Indian Country." Many tribes have already adopted laws banning same-sex marriage. But this tribe hasn’t and is going forward with this marriage. While the focus in the LGBTQ community might be on the fact that they’re getting married, the question relating to tribal sovereign...