In a 5-4 decision today, the Supreme Court recognized the Constitutional right of same-sex couples to be legally married.
“Today’s decision is a landmark for Justice,” said People For the American Way Foundation President Michael Keegan. “It’s a proud moment for our country and a testament to the decades of work done by millions of people to guarantee gay and lesbian people aren’t excluded from our Constitution’s promise of fairness and equal justice for all people.”
“This decision should be celebrated by everyone who cares about equality for LGBT people,” said Keegan. “But it shouldn’t obscure the fact that we have a long way to go before we’ve truly achieved that goal. Gay and lesbian couples will be able to get married in all fifty states thanks to this decision, but in 29 of those states those same couples can be fired from their jobs the moment they step out of the closet. Members of the LGBT community, especially transgender people, still face violence and intimidation simply because of who they are. Perhaps most notably, anti-gay activists are already at work trying to expand the ability of corporations and individuals to discriminate against gay couples in the name of ‘religious liberty.’
“Make no mistake: today’s decision is one for the history books. We have a lot to celebrate today. But we also have plenty of work left to do.”
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