Supreme Court Overturns Defense of Marriage Act

This article was written by Matthew Hampton and Will Yakowicz.

In a landmark decision for gay rights, the Supreme Court ruled Wednesday morning that the Defense of Marriage Act, passed in 1996, is unconstitutional.

The decision extends federal benefits to married gay couples nationwide — though it does not compel individual states to recognize same-sex marriage. 

The 5-4 decision was hailed by gay rights activists, who saw it as the next step in a long civil rights journey.

Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote the majority opinion, in which the court cited the Constitution's provision of equal protection, according to published reports.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand said she was thrilled by the court's decision.

"Today is a historic day for our country on its long march towards upholding the fundamental values this country was founded upon of fairness, equality and justice," Gillibrand said. "I am overjoyed the Supreme Court has ruled to end the discrimination that had been enshrined into U.S. law." 

Mayoral candidate and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn said that the decision honored the framers of the Constituion.

"Today marks a great victory for LGBT community & for the dream our nation’s founders had when they first wrote that we're all created equal," Quinn wrote on Twitter.

In Brooklyn, Borough President Marty Markowitz said that today marks the first time the LGBT community is being treated with "liberty and justice."

“Today’s landmark Supreme Court ruling invalidating the Defense of Marriage Act is an enormous victory for America’s LGBT community and for advocates of equality everywhere. Love is love, and the Supreme Court has emphasized that—not only by overturning DOMA but by extending the equal protection clause of the constitution to married LGBT couples," Markowitz said. "Bravo to the Supreme Court as our nation has taken another step towards a day when every lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender American is treated with liberty and justice—and I look forward to a future where marriage equality is the law of the land. In recognition of this historic decision, I am proud to raise the Pride Flag over Borough Hall in Brooklyn—home to one of the largest, most vibrant LGBT communities in the country and the largest lesbian community on the east coast.”

In Park Slope, City Councilman Brad Lander said that the Supreme Court made the right decision.

“The Defense of Marriage Act forced discriminatory policies on states across the country, and I am thrilled that it is now a thing of the past," Lander told Patch. "This decision by the Supreme Court is a great step forward for equality for all families.”