Today the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage in a 5-4 decision, thus overturning all state bans. Obergefell vs. Hodges was named for a 40-year-old plaintiff named Jim Obergefell from Ohio. He and his partner, John Arthur, flew from Maryland to Ohio in order to marry before Arthur died from ALS. Obergefell was fighting for the right to have the union recognized in his own state. His case was combined with three others from Kentucky, Michigan, and Tennessee."No union is more profound than marriage, for it embodies the highest idea of love, fidelity, devotion, sacrifice, and family," Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote. "In forming a marital union, two people become something greater than they once were. As some of the petitioners in these cases demonstrate, marriage embodies a love that may endure even past death. It would misunderstand these men and women to say they disrespect the idea of marriage. Their plea is that they do respect it, respect it so deeply that they seek to find its fulfillment for themselves."This story will be updated throughout the day.
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