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Today is as good a time as any to update you on the current state of gay marriage in our theoretically homo-lovin' city. Indeed, it's a particularly good time, because this afternoon the New York State Court of Appeals — the highest court in the state — is hearing oral arguments on whether gays and lesbians should be allowed to marry. Here's where it gets fun: Among the lawyers arguing against gay marriage are those employed by New York City, where last year a trial-court judge ruled the state's ban on gay marriage unconstitutional, a decision the city's lawyers, at the direction of Mayor Mike Bloomberg, have been fighting in appeals since.

Mayor Mike is quoted in today's News saying that he expects his lawyers to aggressively argue their position, which wouldn't be surprising except that he has repeatedly declared himself in favor of gay marriage and over the weekend said the city is just itching to perform gay weddings and will do so as soon as they're allowed. Meantime, it'll take the Court of Appeals months to render a verdict, leaving all of this up in the air for some time yet. Which, presumably, gives Bloomberg plenty of time to come out even more strongly in favor of what his lawyers are opposing.

New York Top Court Considers Gay Marriage [365Gay.com]
Mike: This Time City's Vs. Gay Nups [NYDN]
Mike Vows He'll Honor Gay Marriage [NYDN]