RALEIGH – Today, the United States Supreme Court ruled that the federal Defense of Marriage Act, which defined marriage as between a man and a woman, is unconstitutional. This ruling will allow legally married same-sex couples to receive more than 1,000 federal benefits.
Edith Windsor, the plaintiff in United States v. Windsor, was represented by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and New York Civil Liberties Union, among others.
The ACLU of North Carolina (ACLU-NC) released the following statement:
“Today marks a historic milestone in the ongoing struggle to win equal rights and the freedom to marry for all people,” said Jennifer Rudinger, Executive Director of the American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina. “We welcome and applaud the Supreme Court’s ruling today, but we know the news will be bittersweet for many same-sex couples in North Carolina and across the country who are still denied the ability to form a legally recognized union with the person they love. This landmark ruling, combined with the fact a majority of Americans support marriage equality, makes us more determined than ever to secure equal rights for LGBT North Carolinians. This fight is not over until North Carolina and every other state in the nation recognizes that our gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender friends, neighbors, and family members all deserve the opportunity to marry the person they love and be treated equally under the law.”