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Ohio High Court Orders Use of Gender-Neutral Language

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – The Ohio Supreme Court has ordered the use of gender-neutral references in family court cases in place of words such as husband and wife following the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling legalizing gay marriage across the country.

The Ohio high court says the order remains in place until court rules and forms are updated to reflect such changes.

The court’s order was issued on Friday, the day of the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling. The Ohio order also includes father, mother, parent and spouse in its description of terms expressing familial relationships.

The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling declared Ohio’s 2004 gay marriage ban unconstitutional, along with similar bans in 13 other states.