Marriage Court

You know when you’re arguing with someone and she says, “Well don’t make a Supreme Court case out of it.” Well, today and tomorrow we get to literally, make a Supreme Court case out of same-sex marriage. The court will hear the case for challenging the constitutionality of Proposition 8 and tomorrow the case challenging the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act. To say the stakes are high would be an understatement. There is no higher court in the land and the outcome of these cases will shape our legal landscape for years and years to come.

Will we take a big step forward, and assert the right to marriage equality for all? Or will be remain mired in the past, relegating us to a separate and not equal status? I am both incredibly excited and incredibly nervous to hear the outcome. But not matter how the court rules, there is no denying our national momentum toward equality. While I don’t believe our inalienable rights should ever be a popularity contest, we’ve also had the first major victories at the ballot box last November. More people than ever before support gay marriage according to a latest national poll. And more and more of our political leaders are coming forward to support the basic right to love and have that love legally recognized. In fact the mad scramble by some to get on the right side of history before the courts decide it (in the last 48 hours we had Senators Claire McCaskill, Mark Warner and Mark Begich all come out in support) has been jolly sport.

Look, even if you’re not the marrying kind personally, everyone should be entitled to all of the 1,138 federal rights, benefits and protections granted to couples based on marital status. And, no matter how the court rules, everyone so virulently opposed to loving, committed LGBT couples tying the knot is going to look pretty silly looking through the lens of history. If we can’t laugh at these things, well, let’s just laugh because that’s all they deserve.

p.s. Those looking for ways to support the cause, check out Stand for Marriage Equality, Freedom to Marry or HRC. Red shirt, check.
p.p.s. We’ll still have to wait until probably late June for a ruling. Let’s make it the best Pride Month ever, Supremes.