Today love gushes so much it wins in a landmark way!

In my personal life, this has been an amazing week of belonging, love and inclusion. People showing me their true colors and appreciating mine in ways like never before. And if that were not enough, today we gain huge ground for HUMAN rights! This is the world I choose to live in!

 

 

I am a gay woman who came out fairly late in life. Since I made my spiritual journey the priority, I felt strongly that I be alone to do that. Today, I am no only thrilled by the implications of this decision by SCOTUS for humanity…but for me personally!

There is much to look at on the rainbow-heavy internet today. A few things stood out for me and drew a few sweet tears:

An article on Slate.com…

The Beautiful Closing Paragraph of Justice Kennedy’s Gay Marriage Ruling
By Jordan Weissmann

Justice Anthony Kennedy, who authored today’s ruling legalizing same-sex marriage throughout the United States, is sometimes made fun of for his notoriously purple prose. But today he managed to close his opinion with one of the most beautiful passages you’ll likely read in a court case. I teared up. So did a few other Slate staffers.

 

 

Huffington Post’s Sam Stein caught a picture of an actual rainbow over the White House post-ruling.

 

And a friend pointed me to this letter from Jim Obergefell, one of the plaintiffs in the case decided today by the U.S. Supreme Court. It certainly brings this down to (or up to may be the better way to say it) the human level.

Jim Obergefell is one of the plaintiffs in the case decided today by the U.S. Supreme Court that held that, for the first time, any couple — straight, lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender — can obtain a marriage license and make their commitment public and legal in all 50 states.

We reached out to him to ask for his thoughts on this historic occasion, and this is the open letter he wanted us to share with you.

If you’re standing with couples like Jim and John, Pam and Nicole, Joe and Rob, and millions more around the country today — say so here.

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My husband John died 20 months ago, so we’re unable to celebrate together the Supreme Court’s decision on the case that bears my name, Obergefell v. Hodges.

Today, for the first time, any couple — straight, lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender — may obtain a marriage license and make their commitments public and legal in all 50 states. America has taken one more step toward the promise of equality enshrined in our Constitution, and I’m humbled to be part of that.

John and I started our fight for a simple reason: We wanted the State of Ohio to recognize our lawful Maryland marriage on John’s impending death certificate. We wanted respect and dignity for our 20-year relationship, and as he lay dying of ALS, John had the right to know his last official record as a person would be accurate. We wanted to live up to the promises we made to love, honor, and protect each other as a committed and lawfully married couple.

Couples across America may now wed and have their marriage recognized and respected no matter what state they call home. No other person will learn at the most painful moment of married life, the death of a spouse, that their lawful marriage will be disregarded by the state. No married couple who moves will suddenly become two single persons because their new state ignores their lawful marriage.

Ethan and Andrew can marry in Cincinnati instead of being forced to travel to another state.

A girl named Ruby can have an accurate birth certificate listing her parents Kelly and Kelly.

Pam and Nicole never again have to fear for Grayden and Orion’s lives in a medical emergency because, in their panic, they forgot legal documents that prove both mothers have the right to approve care.

Cooper can grow into a man knowing Joe and Rob are his parents in all ways emotional and legal.

I can finally relax knowing that Ohio can never erase our marriage from John’s death certificate, and my husband can now truly rest in peace.

Marriage is about promises and commitments made legal and binding under the law, and those laws must apply equally to each and every American.

Today is a momentous day in our history. It’s a day when the Supreme Court of the United States lived up to the words inscribed above the front entrance of the courthouse:

Equal Justice Under Law.

Thank you,

Jim