Published in: September-October 2015 issue.
THE RECENT DECISION of the United States Supreme Court in Obergefell v. Hodges, recognizing a constitutional right to same-sex marriage, stands as a milestone in GLBT history on a scale with the 1969 Stonewall Riots. The contrast between 1969 and 2015 demonstrates how epic the intervening 46 years have been. Over a short time in historical terms, we have progressed from explicit denial to definitive recognition of our equal dignity as human beings.
Beyond the strictly legal arguments about equal protection and due process, what the Court recognized once and for all is the essential humanity of people regardless of their sexual orientation.