In the conclusion of Obergefell v. Hodges, the Supreme Court ruled in a historic 5-4 decision that same-sex couples have the constitutional right to marry under the Fourteenth Amendment.
This decision overturns every existing gay marriage ban throughout the United States. Gay marriage is officially legal nationwide.
Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote in the majority decision that “No union is more profound than marriage, for it embodies the highest ideals of love, fidelity, devotion, sacrifice, and family. [The petitioners] ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law. The Constitution grants them that right,”
The Fourteenth Amendment defines citizenship and promises equal treatment under the law. It has been used as the basis for a variety of Supreme Court cases, such as Brown v. Board and Bush v. Gore.
Other Supreme Court cases that have advanced the cause of sexual minorities include Log Cabin Republicans v. United States of America, which ruled Don’t Ask Don’t Tell unconstitutional.
This game-changing case has fundamentally ended the gay marriage debate in the United States. Sound off in the comments where you stand on this issue.