Gay marriage is finally legal. The U.S. Supreme Court issued a landmark ruling granting same-sex couples a constitutional right to marry. The 5-4 decision on Jule 26th 2015 in Obergefell v. Hodges, legalizes gay marriage throughout the country, meaning that the 14 states that currently do not allow gays and lesbians to wed will now need to do so.Historic victory for gay rights, as same-sex couples be allowed to marry no matter where they live.
The decision rests in part on the court’s interpretation of the 14th Amendment, stating that limiting marriage only to heterosexual couples violates the amendment’s guarantee of equal protection under the law. Writing for the majority, Justice Anthony Kennedy states that “no union is more profound than marriage, for it embodies the highest ideals of love, fidelity, devotion, sacrifice, and family.” Kennedy goes on to say that gay and lesbian couples “ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law. The Constitution grants them that right.”
70% of States Have Gay Marriage, 15 States Ban It
The First Same-Sex Marriage Was in Massachusetts on May 17, 2004
11 Native American Tribes Recognize Gay Marriage
There are 1,138 Legal Rights and Protections Provided by Gay Marriage
Support for Gay Marriage Doubled from 27% to 55% between 1996 and 2014
33% of Americans Say that Gay Marriage Should Be Rejected
Twice as Many People in the South Oppose Gay Marriage
There Have Been 71,165 Gay Marriages in the US
Lesbians Account for 60% of Gay Marriages
20 Countries Around the World Allow Gay Marriage
