On the 26th of July 2015, the Supreme Court of America ruled same sex marriage to be legal, throughout the United States. Now, no matter where individuals live, in the USA, they may marry their same sex partner. This momentous decision can be attributed to the five out of nine Supreme Court Justices who voted in favor of the proposal: Justice Anthony Kennedy, Justice Stephen Breyer, Justice Eleanor Kagan, Justice Sonia Stotomayer, and the notorious Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Kennedy, who wrote the concluding paragraph of the SCOTUS (Supreme Court of the United States) statement, writing that 'They ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law. The Constitution grants them that right'.
There is the question as to why it has taken so long for same sex marriage to become legal throughout the entirety of the United States. This prompt for SCOTUS' decision was, in fact, a death. Jim Obergefell lost his husband John Arthur, in 2013. However, Arthur's death certificate stated the deceased was unmarried. This Ohioan couple watched as the Windsor decision, legalizing same sex marriage in the state of New York, was released, and the pair decided to get married. Arthur, at this time, was bedridden, as a sufferer of ALS. Still, the couple managed to make it to Baltimore, and were married on the tarmac as soon as the plane landed. Yet, as same sex marriage was still illegal in Ohio, when the inevitable happened, Arthur's last remaining mark on this earth would state that he was unmarried. Arthur and Obergefell received this news four days after they were married.
So, they decided to file a lawsuit against the State of Ohio, and the city of Cincinnati, arguing that upon his death, Arthur should be listed as married. At the hearing, the defense Attorney stood up, and surprised the pair by stating that there would be no opposition, they agreed wholeheartedly with the proposal. Whilst Cincinnati accepted the marriage of the couple, however, the State of Ohio did not. When Arthur passed, three months later, he was not recognised as a married man. This case was eventually taken to the Supreme Court, Obergefell filing for the right to a hearing in November 2014. The case was fought, and eventually, won. Same sex marriage is now legal throughout the United States, forcing all States to recognise all marital partners on death certificates.
Despite this being fantastic news, it does not, of course, mean that those in same sex relationships are completely free from discrimination. Saying that LGBTQ+ individuals have achieved equality due to this decision is like saying the Civil Rights Act of 1964 ended racism. Laws still allow active discrimination against individuals due to their sexuality. However, the Supreme Court's decision will still act as significant landmark, as America, and indeed, the world, takes another step away from bigotry.
Many famous figures, both political, and media-based have expressed their joy in response to the decision. Sir Ian McKellen, founder of the LG supporting charity Stonewall released a short video, stating 'You've finally joined the rest of us!’ President Obama spoke in favour, and Vice President Biden allegedly ran through the Whitehouse, carrying a rainbow flag, and high fiving all those he could. The ecstatic nature of everyone's response can be aptly explained by the twitter hashtag that trended quickly following the decision. Love wins.
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