It’s been 10 years since a Cincinnati love story resulted in the landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling that legalized same-sex marriage across the U.S.
Jim Obergefell and John Arthur had been together for 20 years when they flew to Maryland to wed because same-sex marriage was legal there and banned in Ohio.
Arthur was suffering from ALS, and civil rights attorney Al Gerhardstein explained to the couple that when Arthur died, his death certificate would list him as unmarried and would not list Obergefell as his spouse.
The couple sued, and the case eventually made its way to the U.S. Supreme Court. The court issued its landmark ruling legalizing same-sex marriage on June 26, 2015.
Now some conservatives are pushing back, calling on the court to reconsider the decision. And some Ohio lawmakers are pushing to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot in 2026 to ensure the right to same-sex marriage in the state.
On Cincinnati Edition, we talk about the historic case and the future of same-sex marriage in Ohio and across the U.S.
Guests:
- Ohio state Sen. Nickie Antonio, Senate Democratic Leader
- Jim Obergefell, lead plaintiff in Oberfell v. Hodges
- Al Gerhardstein, partner, Friedman, Gilbert + Gerhardstein
Select music from Blue Dot Sessions (www.sessions.blue).
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