10 Years of Marriage Equality: How Far We've Come and What's Still at Stake
If you'd like to feel old today, consider this: on June 26, it will have been ten years since same-sex marriage was made legal in the United States. A 5-4 ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court in Obergefell v. Hodges, 576 U.S. 644 (2015), found that laws defining marriage as exclusive to heterosexual couples violate the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
Queer Representation Before Marriage Equality
Before the legalization of same-sex marriage, queer culture was treated as a spectacle, with flamboyantly gay side characters serving as support for heteronormative protagonists. Shows like "Friends" presented amalgams of queer identities that fit no specific person, but were taken at face value as the expectation of the quintessential "gay friend."
What Marriage Equality Changed for LGBTQ+ Culture
With the legalization of same-sex marriage, the LGBTQIA+ experience began to achieve a level of legitimacy not previously seen in American culture. Pride parades moved from unorthodox displays of decadence to celebrations of authenticity as attitudes of acceptance and inclusion became more mainstream.
The Backlash Against LGBTQ+ Rights
Although a watershed moment for LGBTQIA+ rights and equality in the United States, conservative and religious groups saw marriage equality as a decline in the moral fabric of the country. What was seen by some as a substantial stride toward a more perfect union was seen by others as the erasure of white Christian values -- seemingly ignoring the multitude of ethnicities that built and maintained this fledgling nation.
From Bakery Refusals to Anti-Trans Legislation
As we move past a decade of same-sex marriage, the conflicts between religious conservatism and progressive liberty remain active. What started as a few isolated bakeries refusing to bake cakes for same-sex weddings has snowballed into the removal of access to gender-affirming care, LGBTQIA+ book banning, and anti-trans policies in sports.
What we thought was an opportunity for collective growth descended into anger and frustration as each side accused the other of indoctrination and abuse -- losing sight of the personal wellness argument that forms the foundation of both sides' moral conclusions.
How We Keep Moving Forward
It's clear that continued fighting alone will get us nowhere. As representatives of our community, we support, advocate for, and care for one another as best we can. We can celebrate how much joy and richness queer culture brings to the world while continuing to make the case that LGBTQ+ inclusion and equality are about the safety and validity of all humans—and how they love.
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