OBERGEFELL V HODGES DECISION

Obergefell v Hodges – SCOTUS – June 2015 Marriage Equality Decision

As June 2015 comes to a close, I am particularly proud to be an American, a Marylander, and a Baltimorean. June is LGBTQ Pride month, and in this past month – among other landmark decisions – the Supreme Court of the United States of America ruled that same-sex couples have a fundamental right to marriage. This is a realization of the constitutional tenets of freedom, equality, and justice laid down by our Founding Fathers and echoed by countless American patriots, many of whom hailed from our own hometown. This is a true victory for love and humanity.

If you had heard this news five years ago, you probably would have found it hard to believe. A mere 12 years ago, it was a criminal offense to be in a same-sex relationship in this country. In 2005, even the most ambitious activists believed that nationwide marriage equality was decades away. Those activists, the American people, and our governmental institutions have demonstrated their exceptional ambition and championed the civil rights cause of our time.

I am proud to be part of a State that acted as a major catalyst for this wave. In 2012, the General Assembly passed a bill to allow same-sex marriage in Maryland, and when that went to referendum, the voters of Maryland echoed the call for freedom, equality, justice, and love. I am proud to say that I voted “yes” on Question 6 in 2012.

In addition to landmark decisions on housing discrimination, universal healthcare, a woman’s right to choose, and fair elections, the 5-4 Obergefell v Hodges decision makes our Union a little more perfect. These are major victories for our Nation, and many of them are long overdue, but we still have a lot of work to do. I pledge to continue to work tirelessly as the representative from Baltimore’s 11th City Council District, and I look forward to having you by my side.