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yesterday

U.S. Marks 10th Anniversary of Obergefell as Marriage Equality Faces New Threats

A conservative Supreme Court majority plus state legislatures are advancing measures to curtail marriage equality despite widespread support.

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Civil Rights Lawyer Mary Bonauto, primary counsel for the plaintiffs, speaks outside of the Supreme Court of the United States on April 28, 2015, in Washington, DC.
In this June 26, 2015 file photo, a man holds a US and a rainbow flag outside the Supreme Court in Washington after the court legalized gay marriage nationwide.
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Overview

  • Ten years after Obergefell v. Hodges legalized same-sex marriage nationwide, Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito have publicly urged the court to reconsider the decision.
  • Legislators in at least nine states have introduced bills aimed at undermining or overturning Obergefell and proposing restrictive “covenant” marriages limited to opposite-sex couples.
  • More than 823,000 same-sex couples have wed since 2015, generating an estimated $5.9 billion in wedding-related economic activity and $432 million in state and local tax revenue.
  • The 2022 Respect for Marriage Act guarantees federal recognition of same-sex unions performed in other states but does not prevent states from refusing to issue new marriage licenses.
  • Nearly 70 percent of Americans now support same-sex marriage, yet over three-quarters of married same-sex couples report anxiety about potential rollbacks and are taking legal measures to protect their unions.