June 26: A Great Day for Equality

June 26 is the third anniversary of the Supreme Court’s historic verdict in Obergefell v. Hodges, when the court declared same-sex marriage legal across the United States and granted all Americans the right to marriage equality. For impact, the decision ranks with Roe v. Wade and Brown v. Board of Education.

In the words of lead plaintiff Jim Obergefell, it “affirms what millions across this country already know to be true in our hearts. Our love is equal.”

Opponents argued that the legalization of same-sex marriage would fundamentally change the institution of marriage. And it did – for the better. In the three years since the Obergefell decision, millions of same-sex couples have married and, in doing so, added strength to the institution of marriage.

Here at CREDO, we’ll be celebrating June 26 and marriage equality along with all people who believe in equal rights. We’ve worked hard for decades to make it reality. Hundreds of thousands of CREDO members took action for marriage equality. We fought for and won the freedom to marry in many states.

CREDO members have also voted to donate millions of dollars to groups fighting for marriage equality, including the National LGBTQ Task Force, Freedom to Marry, Courage Campaign, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Campaign, and the ACLU.

But we know the work is not done – especially now as the Trump administration,  Republican Congress and, yes, Supreme Court (hello, Neil Gorsuch) level new assaults against the rights of LGBTQ people, including the recent verdict in Masterpiece Cakeshop, the case of a Colorado baker who refused to bake a cake for a same-sex wedding. Donald Trump’s first year in office was a full on assault  on LGBTQ rights: He tried to reinstate a ban on transgender people in the military; he stacked his cabinet, his administration and the courts with anti-LGBTQ extremists; and even, in his petty way, refused to recognize Pride Month.

So, yes, we’ll celebrate today. But tomorrow we’ll continue the fight for LGBTQ rights. To quote our friends at GLAAD, “Marriage equality is a benchmark, not a finish line, and our work to bridge the gap to full acceptance for LGBT people continues.”