Gay couple who were once 'father and son' are finally allowed to marry

This week two men in Pennsylvania went from being father and son to husband and husband.

While that might make you do a double take - the adoption was a legal technicality for the gay couple so they could obtain rights they weren't allowed as partners.

Norman MacArthur, 74, and Bill Novak, 76, have been together for over 50 years. When they moved to Pennsylvania in 2000, a lawyer told them since domestic partnerships weren't recognised in the state, if they wanted to retain familial legal rights, then Bill could adopt Norman - two years his junior.

The rights MacArthur and Novak wanted to protect that Pennsylvania didn't extent to gay couples included hospital visiting rights and the ability to inherit each other's assets.

According to Lambda Legal, a legal organisation that campaigns for LGBTQ equality, such arrangements are not uncommon when gay couples want to be seen as related in the eyes of the law.

When a judge ruled Pennsylvania's law against gay marriage was unconstitutional last year, MacArthur and Novak decided they wanted to get married.

Earlier this month they went to court get the adoption vacated so they could finally become a real couple.

“We had 30 friends in court to show that this case was out of the ordinary — though the judge knew that — and when the judge signed the order our friends burst into applause and I burst into tears,” MacArthur told Yahoo Parenting.

We wish them heartfelt congratulations.

Just excuse us as we get washed away with feels.

Pictures: Matt Slocum/AP

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