Moments ago, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit ruled that bans on the freedom to marry for same-sex couples in four states — including our Tennessee case — do not violate the U.S. Constitution.

Since the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Defense of Marriage Act last year, we have experienced a sea change in the freedom to marry, with nearly 40 court victories across the country in favor of marriage equality.

While today’s decision hurts loving couples and families in Tennessee, Kentucky, Michigan, and Ohio, this case isn’t over, and we know the tide is turning. We know — one day soon — every person across the country will be able to marry the person they love.

We will not rest until this decision is overturned and until no matter where you live, you have the freedom to marry the person you love. But we can’t do it without you.

We need you to stand with us. Will you join us in the fight for equality and justice by donating today?

Onward,
Kate Kendall

Make a donation at NCLRights.org.

The post NCLR: A setback for marriage equality first appeared on Lesbian.com.

SAN FRANCISCO, California — Beginning at 10am Mountain on October 21, 2014, marriage licenses will be issued to same-sex couples across Wyoming — a victory that wouldn’t have been possible without you and your trust in us.

Wyoming is the latest in a string of marriage equality victories in NCLR cases, including Utah, Idaho, and Florida.

We know that there’s much work ahead to enjoy the full promises of equality and justice, and we’re working tirelessly to ensure that every member of our community can live fully and freely.

Onward,
Kate Kendall

Make a donation at NCLRights.org.

The post Wedding bells ring in Wyoming first appeared on Lesbian.com.

On Monday morning, I was in my hotel room in Washington, D.C. The news was on, all was as expected, and I was finishing up e-mails before heading out to a breakfast meeting. A minute later, the world was gloriously, fabulously, improbably turned upside down.  

I was nervously waiting, as we all were, to see which case(s) the U.S. Supreme Court might take this term to decide whether same-sex couples throughout the country have the freedom to marry. Then, that penultimate question was suddenly settled in a huge new swath of the country, including for NCLR’s case in my home state of Utah. Marriage bans in Utah, Indiana, Wisconsin, Virginia, and Oklahoma were gone.

I sat at the desk in my hotel room in stunned, gratified, awe-struck, elated disbelief. I may have even screamed a little.

On that beautiful fall morning, the high Court declined petitions for review in all of the marriage cases before it. The practical effect of that decision was to make all of those decisions final. The bans were nullified as unconstitutional, and lower court rulings in those cases could now take effect. Translation: couples in all five states could now marry.

But wait, there’s more! The Supreme Court’s decision meant that marriage bans in all the other states within the Fourth, Seventh and Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals—in Colorado, Kansas, North Carolina, South Carolina, West Virginia, and Wyoming—would soon be history as well. By the end of the week, couples were already marrying in Colorado and West Virginia, one county in Kansas was already issuing licenses, and the other three states were moving closer to ending their marriage bans as well. In short order a total of 11 more states will join the other 19 where marriage already means marriage for everyone. Soon, more than 30 states will respect our relationships and treat them equally to all others.

At 9am on the first Monday in October 2014, life and reality and expectations were one thing. By 10am on the first Monday in October 2014, life and reality and expectations had undergone an exhilarating renovation. It was, quite literally, breathtaking.

The next 24 hours were a blur. But for me, it involved a late night and very early morning. On Monday night, I did a segment on “America Tonight” on Al Jezeera America, and before dawn on Tuesday, I was at a studio just blocks from the Supreme Court for a segment on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” (one of my East Coast travel addictions). You can see that segment here.

But wait, there’s more! On Tuesday afternoon, as I boarded my flight back home, I got the news that the Ninth Circuit, in our Idaho case, had invalidated that state’s marriage ban, as well as Nevada’s. (And later that night the San Francisco Giants clinched the series over the Washington DC Nationals, that’s another story…but YAY!)

In what many saw as an odd twist, Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy granted a temporary stay of the 9th Circuit ruling in response to a request by Idaho officials. We are disappointed for couples in Idaho at this delay, but we believe it is just that, and soon Idaho will be among the states where we can marry.

Whew!! I don’t know about you, but I’m exhausted! Actually, not really.

Truth be told, I am thrilled at this turn of events. For us, it means more deliberate work to assure that EVERYONE will one day live in a state where they live in the light of full equality and justice. While the events of this week have been extraordinary, they have highlighted where we still lag and the inanity of being denied basic equality—like employment protections—even as we win the right to marry.

We are not done. In some ways, we now have even more to do to win marriage nationwide and then to bring the FULL promise of “equal justice under law” to every LGBT person, no matter where they live. But if the events of this week are any indication, justice and love will win out AND the ride will be filled with unimaginable twists and turns.

Onward,


Kate Kendell, Esq.
NCLR Executive Director

Make a donation at NCLRights.org.

The post NCLR: A giant leap forward first appeared on Lesbian.com.

A few weeks ago I alerted you to a special opportunity to support NCLR. OurMatching Gift Challenge is in full swing — a chance to have your gift matched dollar for dollar.

Things move fast around here. Since I last wrote, a number of things have changed for us and this country.

First, we helped a former student of Bethel Baptist School in Walls, Mississippi, file a complaint with local authorities after being sexually abused for three years by a teacher attempting to “cure” his sexual orientation.

Then, NCLR and co-counsel in our Utah case challenging the state’s ban on marriage for same-sex couples, asked the U.S. Supreme Court to hear the case. This was a landmark moment in our fight to win the freedom to marry.

On Monday, NCLR represented four couples in the Idaho marriage equality case in oral arguments before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in San Francisco.

Protecting kids. Marriage equality. Immigration rights. These are just a part of the ever-changing legal landscape we’re working on every day.

What hasn’t changed is our need for financial support to fight for LGBT people across the country.

That’s why I was so excited when a generous NCLR donor challenged us to raise $50,000 from our amazing network of supporters. She promised to match all contributions up to $50,000.

If we can hit the goal, that will mean a total of $100,000 for NCLR and all our work for equality and civil rights. But, right now, we’re only halfway there.

I hope that you’ll consider a special gift right now.

Whatever ever you can give — $25, $50 even $100 — will be doubled in value and will provide us with the financial backing to fund all of the work that we do.

Right now, anti-equality groups are pulling out all of the stops to halt our progress. Let’s not let them succeed.

Make a donation at NCLRights.org.

The post Double down for equality: A message from NCLR executive director Kate Kendall first appeared on Lesbian.com.