Supreme Court's Marriage Equality Ruling a Setback for the Right, But Fight Far from Over.
In a move that appears to be a victory for LGBTQ+ advocates on the surface, the Supreme Court has declined to revisit its landmark marriage equality case, Obergefell v. Hodges. The decision not to reconsider the ruling means that same-sex couples' right to marry remains intact in all 50 states. However, history teaches us that social movements are never truly done fighting for equal justice under the law.
The struggle for LGBTQ+ rights is a long and often arduous one, with moments of significant progress punctuated by setbacks and reversals. The Obergefell decision was a major milestone in this fight, as it recognized the fundamental right to marry as guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment. Yet, despite this victory, there are still those who seek to roll back these gains.
Conservatives have long seen ending marriage equality as an important goal, and their efforts continue unabated. The case of Kim Davis, a former Kentucky county clerk who was jailed for denying same-sex couples' marriage licenses based on her religious beliefs, serves as a reminder that the fight is far from over. Davis's appeal to the Supreme Court has already shown promise, with many experts arguing that the court may eventually hear the case.
In its concurring opinion in Dobbs v. Wade, Justice Clarence Thomas expressed his disdain for "substantive due process," a legal concept used to protect individual rights and liberties. Thomas sees this concept as a threat to the Constitution and to the country's moral fabric, and has repeatedly argued that it must be dismantled.
The case of Davis is just one example of how conservatives are building on their strategy to undermine Obergefell. By framing arguments that marriage equality damaged democracy by taking away the question from the people, conservatives aim to create a sense of urgency around this issue. They are also using a tactic that has proven effective in the past: using litigation campaigns to chip away at existing rights.
The right's campaign to overturn Obergefell is not over yet, and LGBTQ+ advocates would be wise to remain vigilant. As historian Mark Tushnet notes, progress often requires repeated failures, and social movements must be willing to adapt and learn from their mistakes in order to achieve victory. The fight for marriage equality may seem like a won battle now, but it is far from over – and those who seek to undermine these rights will continue to push hard until they succeed.
In a move that appears to be a victory for LGBTQ+ advocates on the surface, the Supreme Court has declined to revisit its landmark marriage equality case, Obergefell v. Hodges. The decision not to reconsider the ruling means that same-sex couples' right to marry remains intact in all 50 states. However, history teaches us that social movements are never truly done fighting for equal justice under the law.
The struggle for LGBTQ+ rights is a long and often arduous one, with moments of significant progress punctuated by setbacks and reversals. The Obergefell decision was a major milestone in this fight, as it recognized the fundamental right to marry as guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment. Yet, despite this victory, there are still those who seek to roll back these gains.
Conservatives have long seen ending marriage equality as an important goal, and their efforts continue unabated. The case of Kim Davis, a former Kentucky county clerk who was jailed for denying same-sex couples' marriage licenses based on her religious beliefs, serves as a reminder that the fight is far from over. Davis's appeal to the Supreme Court has already shown promise, with many experts arguing that the court may eventually hear the case.
In its concurring opinion in Dobbs v. Wade, Justice Clarence Thomas expressed his disdain for "substantive due process," a legal concept used to protect individual rights and liberties. Thomas sees this concept as a threat to the Constitution and to the country's moral fabric, and has repeatedly argued that it must be dismantled.
The case of Davis is just one example of how conservatives are building on their strategy to undermine Obergefell. By framing arguments that marriage equality damaged democracy by taking away the question from the people, conservatives aim to create a sense of urgency around this issue. They are also using a tactic that has proven effective in the past: using litigation campaigns to chip away at existing rights.
The right's campaign to overturn Obergefell is not over yet, and LGBTQ+ advocates would be wise to remain vigilant. As historian Mark Tushnet notes, progress often requires repeated failures, and social movements must be willing to adapt and learn from their mistakes in order to achieve victory. The fight for marriage equality may seem like a won battle now, but it is far from over – and those who seek to undermine these rights will continue to push hard until they succeed.
. Can't we just have an actual conversation without all the drama and spin? I mean, I get it, marriage equality is a huge deal and everyone's got strong opinions about it... but can we take a deep breath and just talk about it like normal people? 
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. They're trying to make it seem like this is about giving people back their "right" to decide, but really it's just a way to undermine rights that already exist. I think LGBTQ+ advocates need to be super prepared for the next move, because it could get ugly 
. And yeah, history shows us that progress isn't always linear - there are gonna be setbacks and reversals, but if we keep pushing forward, we might actually make some real change 
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I'm kinda glad the Supreme Court decided not to revisit Obergefell v. Hodges, right? It's like, we got a big win for same-sex couples, and that's amazing. But at the same time, I can see why some folks might think that's not over yet... 
mark tushnet is right, progress often requires repeated failures so we gotta be ready to adapt and learn from our mistakes 
the fight for lgbtq+ rights is far from over and we cant let our guards down even for a sec 
. The case of Kim Davis was a low point for the Right, and I'm not sure anyone thinks that was a good look for them 
. Justice Clarence Thomas's concurring opinion in Dobbs v. Wade is pretty concerning, but it's hard to say whether that'll actually impact Obergefell or not 
. One thing's for sure though - LGBTQ+ advocates need to stay on their toes and keep pushing back against these kinds of attacks 
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, but I think it's good that we're not celebrating just yet 
. The fact that conservatives are already trying to roll back these gains and using litigation campaigns is really concerning 
. I know it sounds cliché but history has shown us that progress is often met with setbacks, so we can't get complacent 
. The struggle for LGBTQ+ rights is ongoing, and we need to be ready to adapt and learn from our mistakes 
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But nope, it seems like they're still all about keeping those marriage equality rights in check 
. The right is still pushing hard, though, and it's only a matter of time before they try to chisel away at this hard-won progress 
weve seen this happen b4 with civil rights & its gonna take time, effort & orgs 2 keep pushin 4 equality in all states 
. We know what happens when social movements think they've reached the pinnacle of success - a backlash ensues and progress gets rolled back 
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. We need to stay vigilant and keep fighting for our rights because if we don't, someone else will come along and try to chip away at them 
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. And the fact that he's trying to dismantle it is just so... infuriating 
. I swear, some people just want to take away our freedom and happiness 
. I just don't get why some people can't just accept who they are and let others live their lives without judging them... like, what's the harm in marriage equality anyway? 
. And by the way, Justice Clarence Thomas is literally a nightmare 
, but at the same time, there are still people out there who want to take that away from us. It's like, what even is the point of having a "landmark case" if we just keep fighting the same battles? 
so like same sex couples r still able 2 get married in all 50 states 
. conservatives have been quietly building momentum for years, and with justice clarence thomas on the bench, i'm worried we're in for another long and arduous fight 
. It's like, can we just move on already?