Gay folks still can’t get hitched in California and many other states, but that’s not stopping same-sex couples from requesting marriage licenses at city and county clerk’s offices today — Valentine’s Day — in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and other cities.

Marriage Equality U.S.A. and Get Equal — two gay rights groups — have organized the nationwide “counter” actions, in which gays and lesbians are asked to visit their local clerk’s office and demand a marriage license.

One such action is taking place today at the East Los Angeles Clerk Office at 4716 E. Cesar Chavez Avenue between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.

“As we cheer on our heterosexual fellow citizens who are able to marry on this wonderful day of love,” says Molly McKay, Marriage Equality U.S.A. media director, in a press statement, “we will remind the world that falling in love and the desire to marry the person you love is a universal sentiment and that all citizens should have the freedom to marry the one they love.”

She adds, “Prop. 8 shattered that dream for lesbian and gay Californians, and every day it remains in effect real people are being hurt.”

Get Equal Co-Founder Robin McGehee asks in a press statement, “What lengths would you go to in order to get married or to fight for the freedom to marry for those you care about? Would you take a few hours of your time to turn out for one of the events being organized next week?”

As the Proposition 8 federal lawsuit works its way through the appeals process, California still does not allow gay and lesbian couples to legally marry.