Ten years ago today, on June 26, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its landmark decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, a ruling that guaranteed same-sex couples the right to marry nationwide. The decision was a long-awaited victory, a culmination of decades of queer organizing, heartbreak, protest, and resilience. For many LGBTQ+ people, it was a day of affirmation and joy, where love was not just recognized, but validated under the law.
Obergefell was more than just a legal ruling; it was a cultural sea change. Suddenly, queer love and queer families had a place in the mainstream legal imagination. It wasn’t just about getting a marriage license. It meant hospital visits, inheritance rights, joint adoptions, healthcare decisions, the messy, mundane, vital things that straight couples often take for granted. It sent a message to queer youth everywhere that they could dream of futures filled with love and security.
But as we celebrate this 10-year anniversary, we must also sit with an uncomfortable truth: LGBTQ+ rights in the U.S. are under renewed and aggressive attack. From hundreds of anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced across state legislatures, to book bans, to efforts to roll back gender-affirming care, we’re watching a coordinated right-wing campaign to unravel the progress we’ve fought for. And the U.S. Supreme Court, once the source of our victory, is now a site of deep concern.
Two years ago, Justice Clarence Thomas openly called for the court to revisit decisions like Obergefell, which he claimed were based on “substantive due process,” the same logic under threat after the Dobbs v. Jackson decision overturned Roe v. Wade. The implication was clear: marriage equality could be next. And with a conservative supermajority now sitting on the bench, that threat feels more real than ever.
At the state level, we’re seeing alarming levels of legislative hostility toward queer and trans people. Over 500 anti-LGBTQ+ bills were introduced in 2024 alone, a record-breaking number, with many targeting drag performers, transgender youth, and inclusive education. While same-sex marriage may be the law of the land, there are still queer couples in America who fear for their safety, custody rights, and dignity, especially in hostile states.
The struggle for marriage equality was never just about the right to say “I do.” It was and still is about the right to exist, to thrive, and to be seen as fully human. And that means we can’t afford to rest. We must organize, vote, protest, educate, and most importantly, imagine bold new futures beyond respectability politics. Marriage equality was a step, not a destination.
We honor the legacy of Obergefell not just by remembering the past, but by fighting for a future where all queer people, especially Black, Brown, disabled, trans, and working-class folks, can live free and joyful lives. That means protecting access to healthcare, fighting for housing justice, ending discriminatory policing, and supporting youth who are under siege in schools and online.
So today, as we mark a decade since that monumental ruling, let’s celebrate with pride, with love, and with clarity. The arc of justice doesn’t bend on its own; we bend it. And we’ve done it before. We’ll do it again. Because queerness is powerful. And love still is revolutionary.
