Ald. Deb Mell Takes to Twitter to Announce Divorce From Wife

By Jon Graef in News on Jul 5, 2014 7:15PM

Ald. Deb Mell (33rd) took to Twitter on Thursday to announce that she and her wife of four years, Christin Baker, were divorcing. The couple married in 2011.

Mell wrote, "It is with great sadness I tell you my marriage with Christin has ended. As you know divorce is painful, therefore we ask for privacy as we go through this process. Thank you for your continued support and understanding."

Dear Friends, It is with great sadness I tell you my marriage with Christin has ended. As you know divorce is ... http://t.co/J2xL83JzWz

— Deb Mell (@debmell) July 3, 2014

The Chicago Phoenix further contextualizes Mell's role regarding marriage equality in Illinois:

As a Democratic Illinois state representative, Mell was instrumental in getting the Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act passed—the law that legalized same-sex marriage in the state effective Jun. 1 of this year. She was one of only four openly gay LGBT members of the General Assembly at the time of its passage.

In the lead-up to its passage, Mell’s marriage to Baker was used as a point of reference in public discourse, arguing it was unfair that her marriage was not recognized by her own home state. In 2004, she was arrested during a protest of her inability to obtain a marriage license from the Cook County Clerk.

Sad news, regardless of how one feels about Deb Mell as an Alderman. [And there are certainly reasons to feel strongly about Deb Mell as an Alderman, unless you're cool with the whole nepotism thing.]