- Title: USA: Supreme Court delivers win for gay marriage movement
- Date: 26th June 2013
- Summary: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNTIED STATES (JUNE 26, 2013) (REUTERS) WIDE OF SCENE IN FRONT OF THE SUPREME COURT SMALL CROWD CHANTING "WE WANT EQUALITY" PLAINTIFFS IN SUPREME COURT CASES EXITING VEHICLE AND ENTERING SUPREME COURT AMID CRUSH OF MEDIA VIEW OF THE COURT CROWD CHANTING "EQUAL JUSTICE UNDER LAW" LESBIAN COUPLE POSING IN FRONT OF COURT VARIOUS OF GROUPS IN SUPPORT OF GA
- Embargoed: 11th July 2013 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Usa
- Country: USA
- Topics: Legal System,Politics,Lifestyle
- Reuters ID: LVA4WNTLGG3M0NCRCMP7O5MVWDRZ
- Story Text: Landmark decisions supporting gay marriage rights spark celebrations outside the Supreme Court
The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday (June 26) handed a significant victory to gay rights advocates by ruling that married gay men and women are eligible for federal benefits and paving the way for same-sex marriage in California.
The court, however, fell short of a landmark ruling endorsing a fundamental right for gay people to marry.
The two cases, both decided on 5-4 votes, concerned the constitutionality of a key part of a federal law, the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), that denied benefits to same-sex married couples and a California state law enacted in 2008, called Proposition 8, that banned gay marriage.
The court struck down a central part of DOMA and let stand a lower-court ruling throwing out California's voter-approved ban on gay marriage.
The Supreme Court rulings come amid rapid progress for advocates of gay marriage in recent months and years in the United States and internationally. Opinion polls show a steady increase in U.S. public support for gay marriage.
President Barack Obama applauded the court's DOMA decision and directed U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to review all relevant federal laws to ensure the ruling is implemented.
Gay marriage is an issue that stirs cultural, religious and political passions in the United States as elsewhere. Gay marriage advocates celebrated outside the courthouse. An enormous cheer went up as word arrived that DOMA had been struck down. "DOMA is dead!" the crowd chanted, as couples hugged and cried.
"I'm thrilled that DOMA has been struck down it's long overdue. Rhonda and I have been together for 33 years and until today, that meant nothing to this country, and now finally it does," Diane Ullius told Reuters.
The court struck down the federal law as a violation of the U.S. Constitution's guarantee of equal protection under the law but ducked a ruling on Proposition 8 by finding that supporters of the law did not have standing to appeal a federal district court ruling that struck the law down.
While the ruling on DOMA was clear cut, questions remained about what exactly the Proposition 8 ruling will mean on the ground. There is likely to be more litigation over whether the district court ruling applies statewide.
After hearing of the California ruling outside the courthouse, Anthony Romero, the executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union, said the fight for gay marriage would head back to the states.
"We take it to the states - state by state, legislature by legislature, governor by governor, and constitutional amendment by constitutional amendment," he said.
Defenders of California's ban on gay marriage vowed to seek continued enforcement until a statewide order is issued. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2013. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None