Tuckahoe NY Pride

Jim Obergefell is an American gay-rights advocate best known as the lead plaintiff in Obergefell v. Hodges, the 2015 U.S. Supreme Court decision that required every state to license and recognize same-sex marriages. After Ohio refused to list him as surviving spouse on the death certificate of his husband, John Arthur, Obergefell sued, arguing that the state’s marriage bans violated the Fourteenth Amendment’s Due Process and Equal Protection clauses. The Court agreed in a 5–4 ruling, transforming marriage equality nationwide. Since then, Obergefell has spoken publicly about civil rights, dignity, and legal recognition for LGBTQ+ families across the country today.

Quote: “Use your voice in your state legislatures. Use your voice in school board meetings. Your voice is the only thing you have that really makes a difference in this country.”