A day after a landmark ruling cementing the foundation of Obamacare, the US Supreme Court handed yet another victory to
President Obama's administration by ruling that same-sex marriage is a civil right that states cannot ban.Until recently, legalizing same-sex marriage was unthinkable in the United States. This did not deter gay rights advocates who have
continued their struggle, supported mostly by Democrats and Civil Rights activists. Several prominent business executives, such as
Apple's CEO Tim Cook (see our article: "I am proud to be gay", says Apple CEO Tim Cook; Cites Martin Luther King), media, and political leaders have come out recently to state that they are gay or support gay rights.
In a 5-4 ruling, Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote for the majority and stated: "No union is more profound than marriage,
for it embodies the highest ideals of love, fidelity, devotion, sacrifice and family. In forming a marital union,
two people become something greater than they once were. Their hope is not to be condemned to live in loneliness,
excluded from one of civilization's oldest institutions. They ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law.
The Constitution grants them that right."
With the ruling, married same-sex couples will enjoy the same legal rights and benefits as married heterosexual couples
nationwide and the marriage will be recognized on official documents, including birth and death certificates.
The ruling comes 46 years after after a riot at New York's Stonewall Inn publicly started the gay rights movement.
The U.S. is now the 21st country to legalize same-sex marriage nationwide.
After the ruling, President Barack Obama called Jim Obergefell, the lead plaintiff in the case, to congratulate him.
"I just wanted to say congratulations. Your leadership on this has changed the country."
Later on, at the White House, President Obama said that "Americans should be very proud," for the ruling.
