Florida congressional leaders celebrated the 10th anniversary Thursday of the legalization of gay marriage in the U.S., which happened on June 26, 2015.
Marking the anniversary included Democrat U.S. Rep. Jared Moskowitz.
"Today marks 10 years since the Obergefell decision legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide," Moskowitz said. "This was a historic step forward, and it’s a reminder of what we still must do to advance LGBTQ+ rights and protections, including by finally passing the Equality Act into law."
Democrat U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz also celebrated the anniversary.
"Ten years ago, love won. #Obergellfell secured the right to marry who we love," Wasserman Schultz said. "But right-wing extremists want to take it away. During Pride Month and every month, I'll stand with LGBTQ+ community to ensure #Lovewins. Always.
The landmark case, titled Obergefell v. Hodges, marked the end of a national debate in which some states looked to protect domestic partnerships or civil unions while others declared that it should be only between a man and a woman.
High-profile politicians weren't always on board, either.
Former President Barack Obama opposed same-sex marriage up until May 2012. Hillary Clinton also opposed it until 2013.
Legal action was originally brought by James Obergefell and John Arthur, who were longtime partners living in Cincinnati. The pair looked to get married after Arthur was diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, in 2011. Two years later, the Supreme Court struck down the federal Defense of Marriage Act, which partially denied federal recognition of same-sex marriages.
Ohio, at the time, did not allow same-sex marriages. Instead, the couple flew to Maryland to get married, where it had been legal since 2013.
The following would set the course of marriage equality in America.
With Arthur's health in decline, the Ohio couple found out their newfound union would not be included on his death certificate, setting up a landmark legal battle. After having their marriage initially recognized by a state judge, the State of Ohio appealed the ruling.
At the time, death certificates were handled by Rick Hodges, director of the Ohio Department of Health from 2014-2017.
Now known in history, Obergefell v. Hodges went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.
The case argued specifically that marriage is protected under the U.S. Constitution’s Fourteenth Amendment under due process and equal protection clauses. Litigators in the case included same-sex couples from Ohio, Michigan, and Kentucky.
The Supreme Court ruled in favor of a gay couple's right to marry 5-4.
