On June 26th, 2015, the United States Supreme Court ruled in favor of nationwide marriage equality. Within the Obergefell v. Hodges case, 5 out of 9 Justices found state-level bans on same-sex marriage to be unconstitutional under the Due Process and Equal Protection clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment and United States Constitution. Their decision heralded a watershed moment in American history, particularly within the social justice and LGBT+ communities. The fight to get civil marriage rights and benefits for same-sex couples in the United States began decades ago, in the 1970s – though violent homophobia has certainly been a problem for much longer than that. Prior to this ruling, 24 states had a ban on same-sex marriage or legal partnership in place.
While the national legalization of same-sex marriage is certainly something to celebrate, it is likewise important to remember that the fight for marriage equality is not the only, or most important, issue within the LGBT+ community. Of the 40% of homeless youth that identify as LGBT, 68% report being kicked out of their home because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Violence against transgender women – particularly transgender women of color has become epidemic. The National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs 2013 report found that 72% of victims of anti-LGBT homicide were transgender women, with 67% of those women simultaneously people of color. These issues, along with issues of racism, classism, sexism, and cis-sexism, can be explored further in the articles below.
- LGBT Homelessness
- 7 LGBT Issues That Matter More Than Marriage
- Violence Against Black Transgender Women Goes Largely Ignored
- Beyond Gay Marriage
http://www.slate.com/blogs/outward/2015/01/16/supreme_court_agrees_to_hear_gay_marriage_cases.html