5 Years of LGBTQ Marriage

It’s hard to believe it’s been five years since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that LGBTQ persons have the right to marry. 

There was a really nice article published this week entitled Dignity and Respect for All that was written by Shannon Minter, an attorney who has played a pivotal role the fight for marriage equality.  He shares some of the legal history and pivotal moments that led to that incredible outcome in 2015.

What happened next was as remarkable as it was unexpected. Rather than dampening the movement for marriage equality, Proposition 8 sparked the biggest pro-LGBTQ movement in history. In addition to LGBTQ+ people standing up for themselves, millions of ordinary Americans began to advocate for their LGBTQ+ family members and friends. [emphasis mine]  Within days, Proposition 8 ignited a massive grassroots movement for the freedom to marry.

And later “In 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to resolve this issue for the entire nation. The Court accepted review of four marriage equality cases, including our case from Tennessee. The plaintiffs in these cases painted a vivid picture of the hardships that state marriage bans caused, from the denial of parental rights and spousal benefits to the fear of being separated from a beloved partner in a medical crisis. As the Supreme Court noted in Obergefell, marriage bans consigned “same-sex couples to an instability many opposite-sex couples would deem intolerable in their own lives.”

Minter shares some wonderful reflections on his personal experience, as well as how much times have changed in the past five years. 

As Pride Month 2020 draws to a close, I want to thank all of you for finding meaningful ways to celebrate amidst this chaotic and uncertain time.  And thanks especially to our allies; we could not be where we are today without your involvement and support of us!