"Today’s Supreme Court ruling in the ACLU’s Edie Windsor case strikes down discriminatory provisions of the ‘so-called’ Defense of Marriage Act," says Jeffrey Mittman, executive director of the ACLU-EM. "This landmark decision recognizes that it is discriminatory for our federal government to treat legally married gay couples any differently than it treats legally married heterosexual couples. This is a day of celebration for America and a historic leap forward for all married same-sex couples and their families.
"Marriage makes a difference in our personal lives and our federal government has caught up with the rest of America. Marriage is a requirement in 1,100 places in federal laws and programs, from eligibility for family medical leave, to social security survivor’s benefits, to access to health care for a spouse. Married same-sex couples should now be eligible for all of these benefits and protections," says Mittman.
"DOMA is the last federal law on the books that mandates the federal government discriminate against gay families. It’s a great day for equality and the beginning of the end of official discrimination against lesbian, gay and transgender Americans," adds Mittman.
California’s Prop 8
"Today’s ruling affirms a thoughtful ruling by the lower court and restores marriage to California’s gay couples," Mittman said regarding the Supreme Court's decision on Prop 8. "This means that 30 percent of the American public now live in a freedom-to-marry state, up from just 11 percent last October.
"The ACLU has been working for decades to secure the freedom to marry across the country. Today, we renew our commitment to this effort and look forward to continuing our work so same-sex couples can legally marry across the country. As President Obama recently noted, the LGBT community is part of the American family. It is time to treat loving and committed gay couples as we treat all families," says Mittman.
What DOMA and Prop 8 Decisions Mean for Missourians
"Today’s U.S. Supreme Court decision striking down DOMA highlights the unfairness of Missouri laws that mandate unequal treatment of same-sex couples and their families," says Tony Rothert, legal director of the ACLU-EM. "It increases our optimism that the Missouri Supreme Court* will honor the commitment between Kelly Glossip and Dennis Engelhard and Corporal Engelhard’s service to the people of this state for whom he gave his life."
"The ACLU is committed to fighting to ensure that all loving and committed couples in Missouri can marry," adds Mittman. "Today is a day of celebration for ACLU clients, like Edie Windsor and Kelly Glossip, and we encourage everyone to talk with their friends and family and co-workers about the importance of marriage for all loving and committed couples."
*The ACLU-EM expects the Missouri Supreme Court to make a decision in Glossip v. MODOT & Highway Patrol Employees’ Retirement System this summer.