Awaiting the Supreme Court’s decision, one cannot help but wonder: What if gay and lesbian couples will soon have the right to marry in all 50 states?
Hopefully, a few weeks from now, the following best case scenario will become a reality:
National headlines will read: The U.S. Supreme Court Ruled Today in Favor of Equality in Marriage.
The landmark 5-4 decision was announced earlier today with United States Supreme Court Justice Kennedy writing the opinion stating, “We will no longer discriminate against gays and lesbians by denying them their constitutional right to the pursuit of happiness, including the freedom to marry . . . We want to express our profound appreciation to those who have joined us today in support of dignity, fairness and love.”
About 10 years ago, Massachusetts became the first U.S. state to legalize same-sex marriage.
Afterwards, life in Massachusetts (and the 36 U.S. states which followed suit) continued as usual, without significant change affecting the general public – except for thousands of committed, loving, same-sex couples who were suddenly allowed the freedom to marry and receive, at first, states’ privileges heretofore only enjoyed by different-sex couples and after DOMA was overturned in 2013, the granting of, certain federal rights to these newly married couples. Likewise, the country will continue without hardship to others that continue to marry, one of the few and tenuous reasons given to deny marriage equality.
Every town in every state will now be required to issue a marriage license to anybody who applies. Lesbian and gay couples may marry the person they love. The Supreme Court ruling will not affect heterosexual couples or traditional families. It will allow same-sex couples who want to marry and have a life together to be licensed under the law and entitled to the same rights as any other married couple.
Here are some changes that we can expect:
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All married couples will be entitled to their spouse’s Social Security benefits.
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All married binational couples will be entitled to spousal immigration benefits.
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Everyone will be entitled to all of their federal rights in every state; and
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Every state law that applies to spouses will now apply to same-sex married couples.
As they all looked to the future with great hope and expectation, they promised to love and care for each other– to death do they part.
THIS HAS BEEN AN OPTIMISTIC VIEWING INTO THE VERY NEAR FUTURE!
How would a Supreme Court ruling in favor of marriage equality affect you?
laraine@winogradandschwartz.com
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