A Texas judge has signed an order that voids the marriage of a transgender widow whose firefighter husband died battling a blaze.
The order prevents Nikki Araguz from receiving the death benefitsof her firefighter husband, Thomas Araguz III, who died last year.
State District Judge Randy Clapp’s ruling comes in a lawsuit filed by the firefighter’s family. The suit claims his widow should collect nothing because she was born a man and Texas doesn’t recognize same-sex marriages.
In his ruling signed last week and made public Tuesday, the Wharton County judge said the marriage was “void as a matter of law.”
Clapp’s decision was first made known early last week after attorneys in the case saw a draft of the decision.
The widow has previously said she would appeal.
How would you feel if a judge told you your marriage with your significant other is invalid by law? And people ask why the would civil union isnt enough, this womans husband died saving other peoples lives and his wife cant get the benefits that she may need just because shes transgender. Who knows if this woman is disabled, cant work, or whatever she may need that money which she mostlikely will never see because people like this judge.
