Magistrate who quit over same-sex marriage takes public stand

CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) - Gayle Myrick says that she loved her job as a Union County magistrate, but she decided to quit when the job requirement changed. Magistrates are now required to perform same-sex marriage ceremonies since state law changed earlier this month.

"It's a personal religious conviction," said Myrick. "I would have to compromise those convictions to continue to do my job," she said.

Myrick has been a magistrate in Union and Guilford Counties. She was three months away from receiving retirement benefits when she decided to leave.

Myrick has support among some Republican state lawmakers who say they plan a propose a bill creating religious protections for state employees who say same-sex marriage compromises their beliefs. State Senator Phil Berger is also among a group of Republican pushing state court administrators to consider concessions when it comes to dismissing magistrates who refuse to marry gay couples.

Myrick says she is standing up for other magistrates who also feel compromised, but are afraid of losing their jobs. "Most of them feel it doesn't matter how you feel about the same sex marriage issue,"she said. "What matters is that we have our freedoms, as well as other citizens of the state."

Supporters of marriage equality say magistrates should perform their job duties equally for all North Carolinians. "They do not get to choose same-sex couples or heterosexual couples at their own leisure," said Crystal Richardson with Equality NC. Richardson says the legal fight should be over and magistrates should accept their duties.

The magistrate's oath of office in North Carolina says "I will faithfully and impartially discharge all the duties" of the office. Myrick says she wants to uphold that oath, but felt she had to draw the line when it conflicted with her personal beliefs.

She is one of a handful of magistrates statewide who have quit or said they will quit if they have to perform same-sex marriage ceremonies.

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