American Samoans question gay marriage validity
Same-sex couples are not yet allowed to marry in American Samoa. Legal observers and gay rights advocates says the Supreme Court decision should go into effect immediately. On the other hand, social conservative Christians dominate in American Samoa, and the government’s motto is “Samoa, Let God Be First.” Even though Samoans have a tradition of embracing faafafine — males who are raised as females and take on feminine traits, many faafafine do not support gay marriage out of respect for their culture and beliefs. So far no one has applied for a same-sex marriage license. The territory’s Attorney General:
We’re still reviewing the decision to determine its applicability to American Samoa, and I have no specific comments at this time.
Episcopalians allow gay marriage
The Episcopalian church gives its blessing to allow same-sex couples to marry in the church. Same sex weddings will be allowed after November 1st, however, in a compromise with conservatives, clergy can refuse to perform same-sex services and bishops can prohibit the ceremonies in their diocese. The denomination’s landmark vote, at the Episcopal General Convention in Salt Lake City, came 12 years after the church elected its first openly gay bishop. Priests in many dioceses have already been allowed to perform civil same-sex weddings with a modified prayer service. Church spokesperson:
We have learned to not only care for, but care about one other. That mutual care was present in the conversations we had. Some people disagreed, some people disagreed deeply, but we prayed and we listened and we came up with compromises that we believe make room and leave no one behind.
Hardware store refuses service
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Jeff Amyx, owner of Amyx Hardware and Roofing Supplies is refusing to allow gays in his store. He says he is fed up with all of the positive feedback following the Supreme Court’s ruling legalizing same-sex marriage.
Would you let a child molester come in your home, around your kids? Of course not. So why would I let a homosexual hang around me? It’s against my nature, it’s against my way of life, it’s against my religion.
Amyx, a Baptist minister, feels he has to stand up for his beliefs.
Homosexuals stand boldly for what they believe. Why can’t I stand boldly for what I believe? Why can’t I stand boldly and say I believe the word of God over them?
‘Proud’ to celebrate ruling
Clinton says she is celebrating the Supreme Court’s decision on gay marriage.
Proud to celebrate a historic victory for marriage equality—& the courage & determination of LGBT Americans who made it possible. -H
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) June 26, 2015
Guarantees right to same-sex marriage
The Court rules in a 5-4 decision that the Constitution guarantees a right to same-sex marriage. The plaintiffs, gay and lesbian couples from four states, said they had a fundamental right to marry and to equal protection, adding that the bans they challenged demeaned their dignity, imposed countless practical difficulties and inflicted particular harm on their children, while Lawyers for the four states said their bans were justified by tradition and the distinctive characteristics of opposite-sex unions. They said the question should be resolved democratically, at the polls and in state legislatures, rather than by judges. Justice Kennedy writes for the majority, which includes Sotomayer, Ginsburg, Breyer and Kagan:
No union is more profound than marriage, for it embodies the highest ideals of love, fidelity, devotion, sacrifice, and family. In forming a marital union, two people become something greater than once they were. 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. Their hope is not to be condemned to live in loneliness, excluded from one of civilization’s oldest institutions. They ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law. The Constitution grants them that right.
In the dissent, Roberts, joined by Scalia and Thomas, says the Constitution has nothing to say on the subject:
If you are among the many Americans — of whatever sexual orientation — who favor expanding same-sex marriage, by all means celebrate today’s decision. Celebrate the achievement of a desired goal. Celebrate the opportunity for a new expression of commitment to a partner. Celebrate the availability of new benefits. But do not celebrate the Constitution. It had nothing to do with it.
Scalia also added:
The opinion is couched in a style that is as pretentious as its content is egotistic. Of course the opinion’s showy profundities are often profoundly incoherent.
Gay Marriage referendum passes
The people of The Republic of Ireland legalise same sex marriage in a nationwide referendum. Irish Minister for Equality, Ó Ríordáin:
Ireland is the first country in the world to introduce marriage equality by popular vote.
This change was supported by just over 62% of the population and is a significant win for LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer) groups on a global scale.
Supreme Court decision response
DeGeneres speaks out in response to the Supreme Court’s decision to hear cases on same-sex marriage from Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan and Tennessee.
That’s fantastic. It’s about time. It’s funny. I don’t know if you’ve seen the movie Selma, but the thing that changed the civil rights movement is when white people got involved and started marching, because until then, it was just nothing but violence and disaster, and it continued to be for a while. We need everyone on our side. We’re kind of trying to do this march, and we just need people that believe in equality and believe in fairness and love. So if we have people that will join us and give us that, which is only fair to have the same rights that everybody else has, then it’s a wonderful world.
Massachusetts marries gay couples
More than 1,000 gay and lesbian couples stream into Boston and town halls across Massachusetts seeking licenses to marry after the state legalizes same-sex marriage. The woman who is first in line to apply for her marriage license camped out in front of Cambridge City Hall with her bride-to-be says:
To have the highest court in the state affirm your right to be a family was wonderful, and it just gave you courage.
Netherlands legalises gay marriage
Netherlands is the first country in the world to officially declare that its citizens are allowed to get married to whomever they desire.
We are always a bit ahead of other countries. We had those discussions years before other countries even started.