Today marks five years since I stood on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court after the decision came down in Obergefell v. Hodges, making marriage equality the law of the land.
I didn’t set out to make history; my partner John and I simply wanted our marriage to be recognized. Getting married was the one thing we could do to love, honor and protect each other even after he passed away from complications due to ALS. I feel so humbled that my fight for him and for our marriage helped create a legacy in his honor — a legacy of fighting for equality.
Last week, our movement received another victory when the Supreme Court affirmed that workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity is prohibited under federal civil rights law. But we are far from having won this fight — and if Donald Trump is re-elected to another four years, there is no telling what damage will be done to the progress we’ve made.
Donald Trump has already proven he will do whatever it takes to roll back progress made in the LGBTQ+ movement — including a trans military ban, ending Obama-era non-discrimination protections, using Title IX to discriminate against trans students, the list goes on. Another four years of Trump would mean countless more anti-LGBTQ+ federal judges on the bench — and you can bet that victories like last week’s will be a thing of the past.
The fight for LGBTQ+ equality continues with taking back the White House this year, — and recent polling shows that if Trump loses Ohio, it’s all over for his presidency. That’s why I’m humbly asking you today: Will you pitch in to the Ohio Dems’ Defeat Trump Fund?
I couldn’t be more proud of the strides our community has taken since I stood in front of the Supreme Court five years ago — but we’ve worked too hard to lose the progress we’ve made in another four years of Donald Trump.
Chip in now to take back the White House: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/defeattrumpfund
In solidarity,
Jim
Jim Obergefell
Plaintiff in Obergefell v. Hodges
Paid for by the Ohio Democratic Party and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee. https://ohiodems.org
