‘Welcome to the other side of the rainbow’
Jun 26, 2015, 7:10 AM | Updated: 2:33 pm
Balloons spell out the word "love" over the Supreme Court in Washington Friday after the court declared that same-sex couples have a right to marry anywhere in the US. (AP)
(AP)
Seattle Mayor Ed Murray will lead a marriage equality rally at the federal courthouse Friday evening to celebrate the Supreme Court’s ruling that same-sex marriage is legal in all 50 states.
He said it’s been a long, historic, and often painful road.
“Today I’m able to say to Americans what I said to Washingtonians the day we signed our marriage equality bill: Welcome to the other side of the rainbow.”
The rally will be held at the federal courthouse in Seattle at 5 p.m.
The ruling by the court came down Friday with a 5-4 decision.
Justices ruled that states cannot deny same-sex couples the rights of opposite-sex couples.
Julie Shapiro, a professor of law at Seattle University, said she’s not really surprised.
“It’s very much a case about marriage and that might seem totally obvious, but that’s important because it may mean the opinion is limited in scope. It’s not going to spill over into a lot of areas,” she said.
Justice Anthony Kennedy, who wrote the decision, said he appreciates the dynamic nature of the society, Shapiro points out. Anthony authored the last three rulings that advanced gay rights.
“Marriage is an ancient institution, but it’s changed a lot over the years. It used to be all arraigned marriages and now we have a different idea of marriage.”
If the court had upheld gay marriage bans in Ohio, Michigan, Tennessee, and Kentucky, it would mean 20 of the 37 states where same-sex marriage has been declared legal would be in jeopardy. The amount of states allowing gay marriage would have been cut in half, KING 5 reports.
However, the court now says same-sex couples have the right to marry under the Constitution.
Washington Governor Jay Inslee praised the decision Friday morning.
“Ruling in marriage is a big step in America’s long road to equality for all,” Inslee said. “Let us all celebrate with LGBT couples. Love won today.”
The ruling came down just in time for Seattle’s PrideFest, including a celebration on Capitol Hill Saturday and the pride parade and PrideFest at Seattle Center on Sunday.
Related: Seattle’s mayor unveils rainbow crosswalks painted on Capitol Hill
Seattle City Council member Tom Rasmussen, the first openly gay man to serve on the council, said it is now “up to all of us” to elect leaders that will protect the decision.
“Today the Supreme Court ruling means that our Constitution stands for equal rights for all,” he said. “This achievement is the result of decades of persistent, tenacious and courageous work by people throughout the country. Through steadfast advocacy to not accept anything less than full equality, this ruling moves LGBTQ rights forward.”
