Gay marriage in supreme court
A decade after the U.S. legalized gay marriage, Jim Obergefell says the contest isn't over
Over the past several months, Republican lawmakers in at least 10 states have introduced measures aimed at undermining gay marriage rights. These measures, many of which were crafted with the aid of the anti-marriage equality group MassResistance, seek to ask the Supreme Court to overturn Obergefell.
MassResistance told NBC News that while these proposals encounter backlash and wouldn’t alter policy even if passed, keeping opposition to queer marriage in the common eye is a prevail for them. The organization said it believes marriage laws should be left to states, and they question the constitutional basis of the 5-to-4 Dobbs ruling.
NBC News reached out to the authors of these state measures, but they either declined an interview or did not respond.
“Marriage is a right, and it shouldn’t depend on where you live,” Obergefell said. “Why is queer marriage any different than interracial marriage or any other marriage?”
Obergefell’s journey to becoming a leader for same-sex marriage rights began with his own love story. In 2013, after his boyfriend, John Arthur, was diagnosed with terminal
Perspectives on Marriage Equality and the Supreme Court
Abstract
On June 26, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court decided Obergefell v. Hodges, one of the most significant civil rights decisions in recent years. For many of our generation, the Court’s conclusion that same-sex couples relish the constitutional right to marry simply confirmed deeply held beliefs about the importance of marriage equality and inclusion for all. We recognize, however, that for American population more broadly, the decision has evoked strong feelings on both sides of the marriage equality debate. For some, Obergefell delivered a unique gift that was unimaginable even a few decades ago: the ability of same-sex couples to affirm their basic humanity, loving relationships, and standing in American community by exercising the right to wedding the “person of one’s choice.” For others, the Court’s affirmance of the “equal dignity” of same-sex couples raises serious issues regarding religious freedom and, as the justices in dissent made clear, questions about the institutional role of the Supreme Court in our federalist system. Nevertheless, we are persuaded that Obergefell conveys a message about law, legal a
The Journey to Marriage Equality in the United States
The road to nationwide marriage equality was a long one, spanning decades of United States history and culminating in victory in June 2015. Throughout the drawn-out fight for marriage equality, HRC was at the forefront.
Volunteer with HRC
From gathering supporters in tiny towns across the country to rallying in front of the Supreme Court of the Merged States, we gave our all to ensure every person, regardless of whom they love, is recognized equally under the law.
A Growing Call for Equality
Efforts to legalize same-sex marriage began to pop up across the region in the 1990s, and with it challenges on the articulate and national levels. Civil unions for same-sex couples existed in many states but created a separate but equal standard. At the federal level, couples were denied access to more than 1,100 federal rights and responsibilities associated with the institution, as well as those denied by their given state. The Defense of Marriage Act was signed into law in 1996 and defined marriage by the federal government as between a male and woman, thereby allowing states to deny m
A decade after the Supreme Court’s Obergefell decision, marriage equality endures risky terrain
Milestones — especially in decades — usually call for celebration. The 10th anniversary of Obergefell v. Hodges, the Supreme Court case that made same-sex marriage legal nationwide, is different. There’s a sense of unease as state and federal lawmakers, as well as several judges, take steps that could carry the issue advocate to the Supreme Court, which could undermine or overturn existing and future same-sex marriages and weaken additional anti-discrimination protections.
In its nearly quarter century of existence, the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Commandment has been on the front lines of LGBTQ rights. Its amicus little in the Obergefell case was instrumental, with Justice Anthony Kennedy citing facts from the institute on the number of same-sex couples raising children as a deciding factor in the landmark decision.
“There were claims that allowing gay couples to wed would somehow devalue or diminish marriage for everyone, including different-sex couples,” said Brad Sears, a distinguished senior scholar of law and policy at the Williams Institute. &