Political Awareness

After a decade of marriage rights for the LGBTQ+ community, the U.S. Supreme Court may decide this fall whether to revisit the 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges decision, which legalized same-sex marriage nationwide. The potential review follows a petition from Kim Davis, a former Kentucky county clerk who, in 2015, declined to issue a marriage license to a same-sex couple, citing her religious beliefs.

Davis served six days in jail and paid a substantial fine for her refusal. In her petition, she argues that the First Amendment protects her right to deny marriage licenses based on her views. She also claims that Obergefell v. Hodges was wrongly decided and should be corrected.

The petition comes during a year of broader legislative activity on the issue. Nine states have introduced bills seeking to restrict or ban same-sex marriage. Other developments affecting the LGBTQ+ community this year include the removal of transgender and bisexual individuals from the Stonewall monument website, restrictions on healthcare for transgender individuals, a ban on transgender military service, and the closure of the suicide prevention hotline dedicated to queer youth.

For those seeking support, the following resources are available:

• The Trevor Project: (866) 488-7386

• Crisis Text Line: Text START to 741-741

• The LGBT National Hotline: (888) 843-4564

• Trans Lifeline: (877) 565-8860