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Gay couple prevented from marrying because they’re legally father and son

By Micah Sulit

Same-sex marriage may now legal across the US, but a gay couple from Fox Chapel, Pennsylvania have been banned from getting hitched – because legally they’re father and son.

Nino Esposito, 78, and Roland ‘Drew’ Bosee Jr, 68, have been together for 45 years. In 2012, the couple decided to take drastic action to ensure they had legal protections as they got older, with Nino adopting Roland to assure inheritance rights and other legal benefits in the absence of gay marriage in their home state.

Nino Esposito and Drew Bosee

“We thought never in our lifetime — or in 20 lifetimes — would same-sex marriage happen,” Bosee told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette last month.

But now that it has however, the couple can’t enjoy the privilege.

The pair have now hit a legal dead end after a county judge denied their request to annul the adoption, saying state laws did not allow him to do so. However, similar petitions have been granted in other counties.

“It’s sort of ironic that by doing the adoption, we thought we were getting ahead of the game,” he added to Yahoo News.

In the wake of the latest roadblock to their hopes to finally marry, the couple have a pending case before Pennsylvania’s Superior Court, and Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey has urged the Justice department to look into the matter.

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