News : US Supreme Court : Gay Marriage Is Legal
The US Supreme Court has ruled that same-sex marriage is a legal right across the USA! Which means that the 14 states with bans on gay marriage will no longer be able to enforce them. Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote that the plaintiffs asked “for equal dignity in the eyes of the law. The Constitution grants them that right.”! How amazing!?
The ruling brings to an end more than a decade of bitter legal battles. Same-sex couples in several affected states including Georgia, Michigan, Ohio and Texas rushed to wed on Friday. However officials in some states including Mississippi and Louisiana said marriages had to wait until procedural issues were addressed.
President Barack Obama said the ruling was a “victory for America”.
“When all Americans are treated as equal, we are all more free ” he said.
Will this make you want to get married? When is your wedding date?
Good job America!
Dave
Now if we can only legalize weed
now everyone everywhere can get divorced.
Today, June 25, 2015 the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled against inequality by granting the same constitutional rights to everyone, allowing same-sex marriage in ALL 50 STATES of the Nation.
This is a great victory for American Citizens, where no one should be denied rights granted to a majority.
I would like to express my feelings of gratitude to those who have endorsed this humanitarian cause.
I have personally worked and fought for gay rights and against discrimination since the mid 70’s.
We have now reached a point to where I am comfortable with.
This is with great pleasure and moral relief that I will celebrate this memorable day…
I would conclude by addressing my thanks to the Staff of A4A that not only make possible to reach other people you may never meet otherwise, but also allow us to voice our opinion and concerns through this blog.
Pierre, thanks man:)
I am still in tears after this and the President’s address after the fact…tears of joy and thanks. It is important to remember all those who went before, in the ’60s through to the present day, who made this possible with the meetings, the rallies, the marches, and yes, the riots…many of whom have passed on, many from that horrid period when HIV was decimating us daily. I believe special thanks go to Harry Hay (founder of Mattachine Society, 1948), Morris Kight (founder of Christopher St. West/LA Pride/Gay Community Servic Center/LA), Troy Perry (founder of the MCC) and many, MANY others I’m sure others on here can add, for their tireless devotion to make what happened today a reality. Thanks, men…your lives have not been in vain, and I shall remember you all until the day I die as being victors in the long, arduous fight. NOW LET’S GET THAT PARTY STARTED!
It’s about damn time. A friend just said to me “well we got one, maybe we can get more”. Let’s be fair to everyone. If you can do things and you’re straight the same thing should afforded me. I live in virginia and the first couple to marry here lives just a few miles from me. Two women. I wish them the very best.
Well I was married once before my husband died, so I think he be happy that his home they legalize gay marriage. As far as getting married again, maybe (if the right person comes along).
My wedding date is whenever I find a man
I completely disagree with this “victory.” What about those of us whom no one is ever going to want to “marry?” All this will do is create bitterness and resentfulness for the rest of us, which already existed between the gay and straight world, but which will now fester even further within the gay “community.” I know there are many more like me who feel the same way, i.e., those of us who don’t fit into the ONLY, necessary and acceptable social confines of what defines what a gay man is “supposed” to look like, act like, walk like, and sound like. This is a pitiable day for me and many others. Shame on the Supreme Court and shame on the United States of America. -OP
There is no doubt that today was a good day for the lgbt community. This issue as been in front of the supreme court in many different ways. Now it is over. However, there will be other challenges before us as history as revealed. After the civil war all African Americans was free from slavery, yet last week the flag was used as a hate symbol to kill 9 human beings. When the supreme court ruled for Love vs. Texas it took time for the nation to adjust. Let us not forget Roe vs. Wade which many still fight against. By one vote the supreme court said our voice counts. That we as Americans have the same rights. The ruling did not take away their right to stand up for what they believe in. The ruling today gave us rights. We still have to earn respect and the only way to do that is to work together. Today the supreme court planted a seed. Its up to us to nourish it and make it grow. Will it grow and stand strong or be a weed in America’s history? Only time will tell.
Big fucking deal. So here you have it. Everyone got a right to be quality miserable in marriage lol. And gay marriage is a fucking joke here in NYC. Look on guys on this site married to a man of their dream and offer suck you at the gloryhole or alley.
Just a quick announcement folks: My comment, which differed from the majority opinion, was not allowed to be posted. So yes. Horray for America where we have freedoms like marriage, the freedom of speech…oh wait, that’s right, we don’t have that freedom anymore, unless our speech is the same as the “majority.” What a nice look at our future! LOL
It’s a great day for all who have fought so hard to make Marriage Equality for all, the law of the land. Many have waited more then a few decades to see this come to pass. Let’s not rest on our laurels, because the fight against Marriage Equality will continue. Let’s not watch this law get watered down to nothing, from the slickers who are already trying to stop it, by using the States Rights mantra. It’s not over, and i’am sure the Right Wing Republicans will stop at nothing to push back on this newly upheld law. Many who claim that Marriage is between a Man and a Women can now understand what true Marriage is about. The earth did not open up, and we didn’t turn to stone. When it’s all said and done, all we wanted all along was the opportunity to take full advantage of the laws Married People share.
It is a great day for America. Such happy news. It was a surprise to me because I didn’t think they would rule on it until Monday. I all of a sudden didn’t feel like so much of a second-class citizen.
Oh, and the date is June 26th 🙂
This a major milestone in the history of USA and us gays.Now i van say i am a proud American. Way to go!
Congrats to everyone who is feeling a tremendous sense of joy and validation today. Temper the jubilation with the understanding that 5 unelected oligarchs just wrote law for 300 million people. While we may like the outcome this time, the precedent should concern us all.
Sweet! Now we have the right to be married and miserable like everyone else. Big win for divorce lawyers and firms everywhere $$$ !!!
j/k guys!!! Seriously this is a big step! Congrats to real love everywhere.
First all it is great that more equality for everyone has been established. I personally don’t plan on ever getting married it is just not that important I me but more power to those that want it.
Now I’m going to wrote a dissenting opinion.
Although I aggree that anyone person should be able to marry whom they want I don’t aggree at the way it was achieved. When the 14th amendment was penned they were not think about men marrying men or the women to women. The redefining of amendments is a slippery slope. I think it should have gone another way and there were enough states to craft a new amendment and get it passed. The slippery slop we are on could some day make justices redefine the bill of rights. Why stop with 14th maybe we should redefine “due process”
Okay not a popular point but I always shutter when amendments are redefined.
No wedding plans. Got to find the man first. Hope everyone is happy.
OK, so, who wants to get married to me? I am able to keep a clean house, do household accounts, cook, grow vegetables and fruits, and I like to laugh but can sit still and enjoy the silence.
I am not sure I believe in “falling in love” but for someone who comes from the culture of arranged marriages I believe love can grow as time goes by.
My handle is janus2005
A great day and a great decision, but I’m afraid the backlash may just be starting. Still happening on the abortion issue decades after the SCOTUS gave women their rights. So after the party, recognize that the fight for true equality is not over. Proud to be from a state that passed gay marriage by vote of our legislature and signed by our governor. We voted for equality, it was not forced on us.
The old timers who fought the battles are celebrating solemnly about a great victory that will change the course of history; the idiot Millennials can only think about legalizing weed. What a crock the new crop is. I just want to SLAP them SILLY! (Of course, that wouldn’t help….)
Yes faggots can now get legally married at their favorite court house or justice of the peace but its still up to individual churches to decide if they will marry faggots in the place of whorship. just being real bei
Tis’about times.
I thought I would never see this in my life time. This is a great thing.
thank you to all of those who fought so hard and also this is a time for those who were not here to see this but I am sure they are smiling from above.
Attitude of gratitude to those who came bwfore, those here now and to those yet to cum “out”…lol!
Celebrate!
This makes me both happy and sad because I think back at those who died for those event to happen. I’m sad because even with this victory we’re still divided within the community by race and style. We style have hate for fems and transgenders just to name a few. Until we embrace all within the community we haven’t achieved much.
While I applaud the decision and give best wishes for all those who want to get married, as for myself, I don’t need the government much less the church to tell me who I want/can spend the rest of my life with!
Absurd. In DOMA they said that it was up to the States to define.
There is cause to celebrate, and much more work to do.
Now we have to stop the Religious Freedom Reclamation Acts from being used to discriminate against us.
We can get married now, and that is a wonderful option. We can also still get fired, and denied housing, and that’s an enfuriating reality.
Have a glass of champagne and dance the night away. Tomorrow we have to get back to work.
Now that the Supreme Court has declared gay marriage equal to real marriage welcome to the same issues real married couples deal with: divorce, unexpected pregnancies, abortion, etc.
I wept when I heard the news….I had a partner for more than 20 years who passed away in 2003. We were as “married” as any two people could be, we shared everything with no regard as to who paid what bill..we were a family. Same sex marriage became legal in Virginia in October (? ) of 2014 and my partners ex-wife suggested we get married…so we DID…on Christmas Eve day. Just us and the minister.
Perfect way to remember our anniversary as we are both “Christmas-aholics”. I have always said it was a Constitutional right as the Constitution grants us all the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness…AMEN…Amen..and AMEN!!!!!!
Sorry guys but this decision doesn’t change what really matters. Gays can still be discriminated against in 13 states, in housing, employment, accommodation and services. Basic civil rights to survive is what our movement was founded on, NOT marriage.
You can’t get married if you discriminated against and can’t find an apartment or have a decent job to pay your rent. This fight was putting the cart before the horse as they as say. So enjoy this day, but it sadly changes NOTHING for gay people who are still being discriminated against and have NO civil rights protection whatsoever in 13 states.
ENDA is what really matters and I will celebrate when THAT passes the US Congress and is signed by the President.
One week from today, U.S. citizens will commemorate the 1776 signing of the U.S. Declaration of Independence. After 239 years, this will be the first Independence Day on which ALL U.S. citizens can celebrate freedom.
I do not expect to meet a man that I want to marry during the remainder of my lifetime, so I won’t be exercising this right. But this milestone is about more than marriage equality. It is important to me – and to all of us – because the U.S. Supreme Court justices have sent a clear message to all U.S. residents: “It is NOT okay to treat your gay and lesbian neighbors as ‘less than’.”
The struggle for equality is certainly not over. There will likely be at least another 20 years of legal battles before anti-gay/lesbian prejudice is eradicated from the U.S. population. Indeed, some bigots will go to their graves filled with hate. But prejudiced hearts and minds do not begin to change until a people’s government officially declares disapproval of discrimination against a minority. That victory we have won!
I thought there would be alot of comments about this great victory for us. But look. Very telling to me. It never fails to amaze me.
And now the same lawyers that made a hexabillion bucks to allow us to get married… are gearing up for the inevitable onslaught of gay divorces.
Oh the money that will be made…. /sarcasm
Yay, we are going to go down in history as the group that trampled on the Constitution and changed the definition of an important and sacred institution that has been around for ages. Shouldn’t we just be so proud of ourselves. All because we just had to have something that straight people had.
Im ashamed today and have no desire to be associated with this. People have no clue what this has done.
No, this ruling doesn’t make me want to get married. However, I am greatly pleased we will be treated as equals.
Now hopefully, the gay bashing will stop too. A person should not risk bodily injury just because he/she is openly gay.
Be careful what you ask for….you will find there is only one small window where you pay your fee for the license. There are 26 floors of lawyers and judges dedicated to divorce.
I think it is great that everyone will now be able to marry. Even though there are probably some commitment phobic gays and lesbians who aren’t happy since they don’t have an excuse with their partner anymore. The line, “Sorry babe, we can’t get married because it is illegal” will no longer work.
I was talking to one of my Libertarian leaning gay friends last night who didn’t understand the big deal here. He doesn’t feel that straight or gay couples should need a piece of paper from the government to solidify their love and commitment to each other. I know he is probably in the minority, but he has a good argument.
I am also a supporter of Polygamy, and hope that this will also be legalized. I believe that the government does not have a right to tell consenting adults who they can and cannot marry. To me marriage equality isn’t over yet.
All i have to say is GOD is GOOD. Can’t bet the power of pray
I, like many of you of a certain age, never thought I would see this day in my lifetime. The White house lit in rainbow colors? The NY TIMES seldom used banner headline “Equal Dignity”? Amazing.
let’s not forget in the midst of our celebrations that there is still work to do. In too many states housing discrimination is still legal, as is the firing of an employee who just exercised his constitutional right to marry.
Personally, I don’t understand all the excitement over the ruling on same sex marriage. I have lived with my partner since 2001. We share the bills, take turns cooking dinner, celebrate Christmas and other holidays together, have pets, decide what color to paint the dining room, etc, etc, etc…. In other words everything a married couple normally do.
We have no intention of ever getting married, so the ruling has very little effect on my life. I have acquaintances who ran out and got married when Wisconsin passed the same sex marriage law. Now, a few months later they are living apart… Or out at the bars having indiscriminate sex every weekend. So much for taking those marriage vows with any degree of seriousness. I don’t need a ridiculous piece of paper to validate my life.
All I can say, is Thank You, to those Justices who sit on the Supreme Court. It is to bad, that it had to go that far, to give we Gay and Lesbian, Transgender people, that right to marry, the one, that we love.
But you see, we may have won this battle, but there will always be a battle, their far to many narrow minded people, living in this world, that will not accept us, for who we are, or our life style. Many will still believe it is a choice, that we were not born this way, but believe, I knew I was different as a child.
Congratulation to those of you who will marry, and my your lives be filled with love, happiness, until death do you part.
Alan
A friend of mine told me yesterday she was fired from her job sometime back because she is gay. Can this happen in America of 2015? I wonder. We have taken a step forward but we also have a long way to go. I wonder what was said in churches today. I know where I live in this city in virginia we are hated. I can just imagine what was said especially in the southern baptist churches. How many people have I met that are members who are also as my friend says “in the family”.
I’m somewhat in agreement with the poster who remarked that while this SCOTUS decision is a major milestone, it is still just a mile on the very long journey to true equality. The Constitution is a hardly a dead document, and it was framed by flawed men just like us. While the freedoms enshrined in that document in 1787, the intended audience was landowning white men (and 3/5ths of the slave population, but that’s another travesty that need not be discussed at length for this post).
Times change, and we’ve discover that freedom and liberty and civil rights apply to all people in our nation – if not by practice, but certainly by the words of the Constitution… as backed by the SCOTUS with its mandate to interpret those words accordingly. Of course, this isn’t self evident, and generations later, we still have flawed men and women who’ve taken this long just to define one tiny facet of the liberty and freedom we have through the constitution.
We still need ENDA, and no doubt the extremists on the far right will have already been mobilizing for a last ditch effort to amend the constitution to limit our freedoms.
But one thing I do worry about is those who do believe in their God, and want to practice their religion even if it does not include LGBT people in their fold. Will our “community” overstep its place and persecute every mention of scripture that is not in line with our desires as “hate speech”, or will we walk the higher road of “live, and let live”, if their practice of faith is closed to none but their like-minded brethren, as long as it doesn’t infringe our rights?
They’re already planning their divorce
Equality n rights are so important, so yay for gays! BUT people must not forget that contemporary marriage is a form of controlling and severely restricting straight sexuality….so before we buy into this we should look at its history n effects on straight sexuality from the victorian era, through the 20th century, and up till today. Gays should b more sexually enlightened that a typical straight married couple.
I have mixed feelings about the decision. It’s a great victory for the lgbt community but the reaction of some people is confusing. Some of my friends think that it is going to solve all of the problems in their lives. I personally have never wanted to get married. Friends have been asking me when I am going to announce my wedding day. I have been with my partner for many years. The relationship has gone through many phases and I don’t desire marriage. Just because it’s legal we don’t have to jump into something that the straight world doesn’t seem overly excited about. What I have seen is the the appearance of gay couples on reality TV. In divorce court. We should not immune the santitiy of marriage. It is a sacrament and should not be taken lightly. My best friend said to me that we are finally free. I just don’t get it
Richard2 is right. Even though marriage equality is the law of the land, equality is not. There are still states that refuse to protect the civil rights of gay/lesbian people. There is no federal civil rights protection. Gays (male or female) can now get married in any state and have it federally recognized, but they can still be denied, in many states, the right to rent a home, be hired for a job, not be fired from a job, be serviced by a business, etc., just for not being straight. We still have a long way to go. Even when President Obama and the Democrats controlled all of Congress, ENDA couldn’t get out of committee.