Title: The Journey to Marriage Equality in the United States - HRC
Headings: The Journey to Marriage Equality in the United States
The Journey to Marriage Equality in the United States
A Growing Call for Equality
New Century & New Beginnings
Rising Support Signals Hope
A Turning Point for Change
Marriage Equality Becomes a Reality
HRC’s Work Changing Hearts & Minds
Decades of Championing Equality
Working from Coast to Coast
Building Coalitions
Our Red Logo for Equality
Creating a Digital Wave
Celebrating Our Victory
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Content: Rising Support Signals Hope
States from coast to coast began striking down past bans and enshrining marriage equality in new laws. California famously achieved marriage equality in 2008, only to have it dismantled again by the introduction and passage of Proposition 8, a ballot initiative that updated the state constitution to define marriage as between a man and a woman, that same year. The amendment later was disputed in lower level courts before making its way to the Supreme Court. A Turning Point for Change
Only a few years after President Obama declared DOMA unconstitutional, — and instructed the Justice Department to stop defending it in court — the Supreme Court advanced marriage equality through key decisions in 2013. Hollingsworth v. Perry determined Prop. 8 lacked legal standing while United States v. Windsor deemed DOMA unconstitutional — all but paving the way to full equality. Edie Windsor celebrates outside the Supreme Court, 2013
Jim Obergefell and former HRC President Chad Griffin claim victory outside the Supreme Court, 2015
Marriage Equality Becomes a Reality
The moment for full marriage equality finally arrived on June 26, 2015, with the Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges. In a landmark 5-4 decision, marriage equality became the law of the land and granted same-sex couples in all 50 states the right to full, equal recognition under the law. HRC’s Work Changing Hearts & Minds
HRC knew from the very beginning that the fight for marriage equality wasn’t just about changing policies — it was about changing hearts and minds. People needed to hear the stories of couples and families across the country impacted by laws that failed to grant them the recognition they deserved.