Cook County Has Issued Almost 10,000 Same-Sex Marriage Licenses

Pat Ewert, widow of Vernita Gray, speaks at a press conference celebrating the issue of almost 10,000 same-sex marriage licenses in Cook County. Ewert and Gray were first same-sex couple issued a marriage license in Illinois.
Pat Ewert, widow of Vernita Gray, speaks at a press conference celebrating the issuing of almost 10,000 same-sex marriage licenses in Cook County. Ewert and Gray were first same-sex couple issued a marriage license in Illinois. Yolanda Perdomo / WBEZ
Pat Ewert, widow of Vernita Gray, speaks at a press conference celebrating the issue of almost 10,000 same-sex marriage licenses in Cook County. Ewert and Gray were first same-sex couple issued a marriage license in Illinois.
Pat Ewert, widow of Vernita Gray, speaks at a press conference celebrating the issuing of almost 10,000 same-sex marriage licenses in Cook County. Ewert and Gray were first same-sex couple issued a marriage license in Illinois. Yolanda Perdomo / WBEZ

Cook County Has Issued Almost 10,000 Same-Sex Marriage Licenses

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Cook County officials say they expect to issue the 10,000th marriage license to a same-sex couple this week.

Cook County Clerk David Orr held a news conference Monday morning along with state lawmakers and civil right groups to mark the milestone, a little more than two years after Illinois legalized same-sex marriage.

Orr says that as of Monday morning the clerk’s office is 10 licenses short of the 10,000 mark.

Brian Johnson, who married his husband Toby earlier this year, says despite the celebration, he hopes one day gay marriage isn’t seen as a special type of union.

“I know that day will come,” he said. “I just hope that it comes soon, that we lose track of the specialness of the fact that same-sex couples can get married equally.”

The couple who gets license number 10,000 will also get some wedding gifts, including a Las Vegas honeymoon.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.