The Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts (SJC), who will live forever in infamy for its ruling to legalize same-sex “marriage” in the Bay State, will soon have its first “married” lesbian justice after Gov. Deval Patrick nominated Barbara Lenk to fill the vacancy left by retiring justice Judith Cowin. Lenk “married” her partner following the SJC’s 2003 decision. Patrick referred to Lenk being the first openly gay justice as simply “a nice coincidence.”
Lenk had been serving as a state appellate court justice. Lenk said that if she is confirmed, she “will bring with [her] the sympathy and understanding of one who has experienced a full life from both inside and outside the mainstream.” She added that “Goodridge is the law of the Commonwealth,” referring to the case legalizing same-sex “marriage.”
Though there is no denying some of her excellent credentials, I must question whether she will be an impartial justice in cases concerning gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender issues. It is certainly our hope that if the governor’s council confirms her, she would not be a partisan ideologue. I also strongly believe that Gov. Patrick’s choice of an openly gay nominee is more than simply a ‘coincidence,’ and that it is very much a payback to the gay and lesbian community that has been Patrick’s most loyal constituency.
