OPEN MIC: What Do the SCOTUS Opinions Mean To You?

Impact

The Supreme Court has issued landmark rulings in two same-sex marriage cases that further define the legal architecture of marriage in the United States and mark a big shift in the cultural landscape of the United States.

The rulings, taken together, are a big "win" for advocates of marriage equality. The Court's opinion in United States v. Windsor found that the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) unconstitutionally deprives same-sex couples, who are married in states where same-sex marriage is legal, of the full rights and benefits they are owed. The Court's opinion in Hollingsworth v. Perry effectively allowed a lower court's ruling on California's Proposition 8 to stand, (re)opening the door to same-sex marriage in the state.

The effects of these opinions are likely to be wide ranging. There are 9 million people who identify as LGBT in the United States, 6 million that have a parent who is gay, and hundreds of millions with a stake in the political, legal, and cultural direction of the nation. What's your take? What do the opinions mean to you?