Washington state court upholds gay marriage ban

SEATTLE, July 27 (Reuters) Washington state's highest court upheld the state's ban on same-sex marriage saying the legislature had the power to limit marriage to one man and one woman.

The plaintiffs, 19 gay and lesbian couples, had challenged the constitutionality of the US state's Defence of Marriage Act yesterday, a law passed by the state legislature in 1998 restricting marriage to heterosexual couples.

The court's ruling deals the latest blow to US gay marriage advocates. Earlier this month, New York's highest court ruled that the state Constitution does not guarantee same-sex couples equal access to the rights and privileges of marriage.

Georgia Supreme Court on July 6 reinstated a gay marriage ban that had been thrown out by a lower court. Voters in Alabama also approved a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.

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