Supreme Court Delivers 'Transformative Triumph' for Marriage Equality

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday issued a historic 5-4 ruling that same-sex marriage is legal in all 50 states, sparking instant celebration and declarations of triumph, as well as reminders from many in the LGBTQ community that the road to freedom is long, and this issue is just “the tip of the iceberg.”

Friday’s Obergefell v. Hodges et. al. decision will enable marriage in the 13 states where same-sex couples are prohibited from exercising this right and strikes down restrictions on same-sex marriage in Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee, declaring that any couple that wishes to marry must be allowed.

“Today’s decision isn’t a victory just for those couples and their families—it’s a stunning win for all Americans who value freedom and equality.” —Rick Zbur, EQCA

“The court now holds that same-sex couples may exercise the fundamental right to marry. No longer may this liberty be denied to them,” Justice Anthony Kennedy declared in the majority opinion.

The ruling was met with expressions of joy and victory, including a huge celebration outside of the Supreme Court.

“Today’s ruling is a transformative triumph decades in the making, a momentous victory for freedom, equality, inclusion, and above all, love,” said Evan Wolfson, president of Freedom to Marry, in a press statement.

“Today, the Supreme Court recognized that thousands of loving, committed couples from coast to coast don’t fall into a ‘lesser than’ category because they’re comprised of two men or two women,” declared Equality California executive director Rick Zbur. “Today’s decision isn’t a victory just for those couples and their families—it’s a stunning win for all Americans who value freedom and equality.”

For many, the ruling underscored the importance of remembering how the United States got to this point—as well as the people who are not here to celebrate.The decision follows a hard-fought shift in U.S. public opinion. A new poll by the Wall Street Journal and NBC finds that the U.S. public strongly supports marriage equality, and among 20-year-olds, support is at 73 percent.

“Going back to pivotal moments like the Stonewall and Compton’s Cafeteria rebellions, the courage and advocacy of transgender leaders of color, and particularly transgender women of color, has been instrumental in advancing the whole LGBT movement and laying the groundwork for victories like today’s,” declared Transgender Law Center executive director Kris Hayashi.

“As many celebrate today, we must remember that many members of our community cannot. At least nine transgender women have been murdered this year alone, mostly trans women of color.”
—Kris Hayashi, Transgender Law Center

“As many celebrate today, we must remember that many members of our community cannot,” Hayashi continued. “At least nine transgender women have been murdered this year alone, mostly trans women of color.”