The Supreme Court’s historic ruling on
marriage equality has turned the tide for so many LGBT citizens that had
been relegated to second class citizenship. The Court’s decision was an
enormous step forward for gay and lesbian
Americans toward becoming equal citizens under the law. As a result of
the decision, the United States’s role as a world influencer has also
inspired advocates across the globe to continue their fight for a
brighter and more equal future for LGBT individuals
worldwide.
While The Advocate’s “People of
the Year” designation recognizes all nine Justices in the 5-4 decision
that decreed marriage equality the law of the land, special recognition
goes to Justice Anthony Kennedy, who captured
the majority’s opinion in an almost poetic decision. Kennedy captured
the 5-4 majority decision in writing that gay and lesbian Americans
deserve “equal dignity in the eyes of the law” and that the government
must
recognize gay people’s inherent dignity, not bestow it. The
dissenting Justices – all four of whom penned a dissent – deserve
recognition as well for their role in propelling equality. Their
dissenting opinions offered up an array of conflicting arguments,
which had the effect of invalidating each other, unintentionally
boosting the impact of the majority opinion.
The Supreme Court’s ruling on Obergefell v. Hodes
declaring marriage to be a constitutionally protected right for
same-sex couples has ushered in a new age for LGBT Americans; absolutely
pivotal toward LGBT citizens becoming completely equal under the law.
Without the Supreme Court’s independence and
position as the ultimate arbiter of the law, gays and lesbians in
America would still be denied access to the fundamental institution of
marriage.
