Tallahassee, FL – The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida has filed a motion to ask that a federal judge lifts the current ban on recognition of same-sex marriages performed out-of-state.

The motion, filed late Friday, states that Florida’s ban on recognizing same-sex marriages affect all of the plaintiffs involved in the case, citing that the state currently is failing to provide their families with state and federal protections.

“…Florida’s marriage recognition bans harm all of the plaintiffs represented in the case by stigmatizing them and their children and by denying them access to state and federal protections,” the ACLU news release said. The motion states that, because the harms to the plaintiffs are “ongoing and irreparable,” and it would be in the court’s best interest to remove the ban, as they state there is no harm to the state defendants in ending the bans’ enforcement.

The ACLU amended its March complaint (a suit filed against Florida to allow same-sex marriage) on April 10, by adding Arlene Goldberg, of Fort Myers. Goldberg’s wife, Carol Goldwasser, died on March 13.

“My heart broke as Carol faded away, but I knew it was her time to go,” Arlene told the ACLU. “I was preparing for the hurt of losing the person I’ve loved for so long, but what makes it even worse is what’s come since, because the law treats us like we never knew each other.”

“Carol and I loved each other for nearly half a century; we were married,” she added. “That’s supposed to mean something, but Florida says I’m just a stranger to Carol.”

The two had been partners for 47 years, and moved from the Bronx to Florida in 1989, marrying in New York in October 2011.

“We are proud to represent Arlene as we are to represent all the plaintiffs, to make sure no other Floridian faces discriminatory treatment while planning a life with, taking care of, or grieving for a loved one,” “That is why we have asked the court to move quickly in finding that these laws – which single out loving couples and deny them the security and protections of marriage, just because they’re gay – are harmful and against the values written into our constitution.”

The plaintiffs are all represented by attorneys for the ACLU and the ACLU of Florida, as well as Stephen Rosenthal of the Podhurst Orseck law firm.