VICTORY!

Supreme Court Ruling Grants Freedom To Marry To All Americans

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Today, Equality Federation applauds the Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision securing the freedom to marry for all Americans!

This is a momentous win for freedom, equality, inclusion, commitment, and above all, love.

Congratulations to Mary L. Bonauto of GLAD, who so eloquently argued before the Justices this April on behalf of the plaintiffs and our community.

We owe our deepest thanks to the legal groups, including Lambda Legal, NCLR, the ACLU, GLAD and other sister LGBT groups as well as private, often pro-bono, counsel, who laid the groundwork for this moment through many prior cases. 

All across the country Federation member groups have been organizing to see this day. Just to name a few: MassEquality was the first group to secure a legislative super-majority for marriage, and the first state to win; Equality Maryland led a successful effort to win marriage at the ballot box; Equality California led a valiant effort and came so close to defeating Proposition 8; and Equality Hawaii achieved a marriage victory through the legislature. Many thousands of people worked tirelessly behind the scenes to create a culture and political climate where the freedom to marry could become a reality.

Equality Federation Executive Director Rebecca Isaacs said, “Today, I think back to 2008, when I was finally able to marry the woman I have shared my life with for nearly 25 years. It was an incredibly joyous day and so important to us and our daughter. My heart is so full knowing all loving couples across our great nation will now be able to share in the freedom to marry. Our community owes much gratitude to the legal groups, plaintiffs, state-based organizations, and, especially, to all the couples and families who bravely shared their stories for the past several decades. I’ve never felt more energized to get the work done so that all Americans can be fully equal and protected under the law."

Going forward, state-based equality groups will continue the work because there is still so much more to do. Our movement must harness the momentum of this incredible marriage victory to the work of securing additional advances towards equality, especially nondiscrimination protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans.

It is unacceptable that hardworking LGBT people are not protected under state laws from being fired from their jobs, evicted from their homes, and being denied service in restaurants and shops simply for being who they are.

In this moment of victory for the LGBT movement, we also recognize that the work for racial and social justice is not yet finished and we recommit ourselves to an America free of racism and intolerance.

And today, we celebrate! Please join the social media conversation using #LoveWins and follow the state-based equality movement on the Federation members Twitter list.

More Resources:

• Get the facts at marriageequalityfacts.org (going live today)
• Find a celebration rally near you at uniteformarriage.org