Carol Goldwasser’s death certificate is now a historical document.
That’s because it was recently updated to include the name of her spouse: Arlene Goldberg of Fort Myers. This is the first document issued by the state of Florida in its history recognizing a same-sex marriage.
Goldberg said receiving the certificate was bittersweet.
“I was excited but I was really sad, because I said ‘I know she can’t be here to share this with me. This is the reason I have it.’ But like, she died so that we could do this,” Goldberg said.
Goldberg and Goldwasser were partners for 47 years and got married in New York in 2011. Goldwasser died this past March.
Because of Florida’s ban on gay marriage, Goldberg wasn’t included on Goldwasser’s original death certificate. She also wasn’t able to collect any benefits.
That’s why Goldberg joined a lawsuit fighting the state’s ban along with several other same sex couples from across Florida. The plaintiffs said the law was discriminatory and violated their constitutional rights.
In August, a federal judge agreed with them.
Even though the judge stayed the effects of his ruling until other cases around the country were resolved, he made a special exception for Goldberg.
He ruled that listing Goldberg as Goldwasser’s wife on her death certificate was about quote ‘simple human dignity.’
So, this week, Florida’s Department of Health sent her a new death certificate. This time with Goldberg’s name on it.
This week, the ACLU of Florida asked the federal judge to lift the stay, so same sex couples could be married in the Sunshine State. Attorney General Pam Bondi filed an appeal in defense of the ban.
