Showing the Supreme Court and the world that all love matters.
For the past two years, since the Supreme Court first took up marriage equality in March 2013, the Kiss for Equality campaign has been raising awareness about the significance of this fundamental human right through visually documenting the love at the heart of the hearings.
We have received thousands of photos, each one a remarkable testimony to the universality of love, from couples who all wish to receive equal justice under law. Every photo comes with a story reinforcing the need for equality. Every kiss underscores the desire for all couples to be recognized as equal.
Last week, on April 28, 2015, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments on whether marriage equality should be allowed nationwide. A decision is expected in June, and it will be historic, affecting all LGBT Americans.
The couples featured in this Kiss for Equality slideshow all know varying degrees of equality. Yet each couple demonstrates how natural it is to love and how basic it is to want legal protection under the constitution.
Ashley and Kayla live in Louisiana where same-sex marriage is illegal. Together for more than a decade, they shared a commitment ceremony on March 16, 2013, but they want to be able to have children and enjoy joint custody. They want to know that in the event of a medical emergency they will be each other’s next-of-kin. Ashley’s family does not support their relationship, and the law does not protect them from family interference.
Lauren and Kimberly, residents of Ohio, one of the four states defending its same-sex marriage ban in the current cases before the Supreme Court, had to fly to California in 2013 to be legally married. A 1st Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force’s Nurse Corps, Lauren writes: “Throughout my military career, my wife and I will be moved from state to state which causes insecurities not knowing if the next place that we go will recognize us as a married couple.”
Caroline and Laurie, married for eight years, live in Massachusetts, one of the country’s most LGBT-friendly states where same-sex marriage has been legal since 2004. But Caroline is from England, and Laurie couldn’t apply for a green card for her wife until DOMA was struck down in 2013. They are currently making a film, Status Unknown, about their experiences.
After last week’s Supreme Court hearings, most experts agree that Justice Kennedy will once again prove the swing vote on this politically divided Court. Yet some believe Chief Justice Roberts may find a way to vote in favor of marriage equality to end up on the right side of history. We hope so.
In the meantime it remains up to all of us to continue to live out and proudly, share our stories, and express our love courageously. We invite everyone to share a Kiss for Equality with the world and show that love is a natural, normal, and human right. Help change the world one kiss at a time.
Join the Kiss for Equality campaign! Share your kiss on our website: http://www.kissforequality.net or join us on Facebook. Every kiss counts.
Sarah S. Kilborne is founder of the Kiss for Equality campaign. She is a committed advocate for equal rights, as well an author and performer. Her most recent book, AMERICAN PHOENIX, was published by Simon & Schuster in 2012. She frequently writes about LGBTQ issues for Slate, the Huffington Post, the Advocate, SheWired, LGBTQNation and more. Her first one-woman show, "The Lavender Blues: a Showcase of Queer Music Before World War II," debuts in the Berkshires in June 2015. For more information please visit: sarahkilborne.com
Click on the images below to read the information about these gorgeous couples!