Summary
Conservative lawmakers and activists are pushing to overturn Obergefell v. Hodges, the 2015 Supreme Court ruling legalizing same-sex marriage. Liberty Counsel’s Mat Staver declared, “It’s just a matter of when.”
Some legislators, like Oklahoma Senator David Bullard, are introducing bills to challenge the ruling, while Justices Thomas and Alito have signaled interest in reconsidering it.
Though most Americans support same-sex marriage, the court’s conservative shift is concerning.
The 2022 Respect for Marriage Act ensures federal recognition but does not prevent states from restricting same-sex marriage if Obergefell is overturned.
I didn’t say anything about priests. No priest involved in my same-sex marriage. I’m not addressing religion at all here.
Legally, marriage is not simply a contract between the two married people.
For example, hospital visitation. If marriage is nothing more than a legal contract between my husband and I, how could it possibly compel a hospital to allow my husband to visit me if I’m hospitalized? The hospital didn’t agree to anything in our contract, so how else are they compelled?
My entire point is that marriage has legal benefits that go far beyond what a mere contract between two married parties can possibly grant.
The legal benefits are provided by the marriage contract. The papers you sign at the courthouse to declare you’re legally married are the contract.
How is a hospital legally bound by a contract, which they didn’t sign and doesn’t mention them, to allow my husband to visit me?
The answer is that they aren’t. They are bound by federal regulations to do so, not by the content of any marriage paperwork.
I think there may be some confusion in this thread between marriage contract and marriage license lol.