The U.S. Supreme Court has now declared that same-sex couples have the constitutional right to get married, granting same-sex marriages nationwide!
With a 5-4 majority ruling, this new ruling has set a precedent for gay and lesbian marriages, creating an atmosphere of acceptance in society.
This is the biggest marriage amendment since the ruling that granted interracial couples the legal right to marry 50 years ago.
Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote, ” The constitution promises liberty to all within its reach.”
Even though almost 70 percent of people who live in America live in a state that already accepts gay-lesbian marriage, there were 14 states that still had yet to accept same-sex couples.
Now, Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Tennessee and Texas all have to follow suit along with the other 36 states that have already granted the right.
The ruling overturns a decision from the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati, which gave the states the right to to “maintain the traditional definition of marriage.”
People took to social media to express their feelings on the new ruling:
It’s amazing to see same sex couples finally get the rights that they deserve! A issue that once had the majority against now has the entire country behind them! Let’s chat below!!
Sources Sited: NBC News
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/same-sex-marraige-legal-nationwide-supreme-court-rules-n375551
TSR Staff: Debra Oh!! @The_Ebony_Issue on IG and @TSR_Ebony_Issue on Twitter!!
