‘Parody marriages’: Kansas Republican lawmakers’ bills attacks same-sex relationships as fake

Republican legislators in Kansas are continuing to attack same-sex couples despite the United States Supreme Court decision recognizing marriage equality.

"A handful of Kansas lawmakers are backing a bill that labels same-sex marriages 'parody marriages' and seeks to stop the state from recognizing them," The Wichita Eagle reports.

"Another bill would create an 'elevated marriage' for straight couples and make divorce more difficult in some cases. That bill also describes same-sex marriages as parody marriages," the Eagle noted.

The bills were introduced only months after Kansas elected the state's first openly gay legislators.

“I am very disappointed,” said Rep. Susan Ruiz (D-Shawnee), the state's first out lesbian in the chamber.

“I see who the co-sponsors are and I sit with a couple of them in committee and I’m certainly going to talk to them about that and say, 'Hey, I don’t know if you know about it or not, but I’m not a myth... Am I a unicorn?'" she continued.

The organization Equality Kansas also condemned the legislation.

“Every year, we see bills that restrict, remove, and limit the rights of LGBT Kansans, but never have we seen this level of extremist vitriol laid out in legislative language," argued Tom Witt, the group's director. "These bills combined are 18 pages of insults and name calling."

"Fred Phelps would be proud," he added, referring to the leader of the Westboro Baptist Church.