Ten Years Later: The Unfinished Business of Marriage Equality Before the Supreme Court

It feels like just yesterday, doesn't it? That summer day in 2015 when the Supreme Court, in a landmark decision, declared marriage equality the law of the land with Obergefell v. Hodges. For millions of Americans, it was a moment of profound joy, a constitutional affirmation of love. But, as we're learning, 'settled law' isn't always, well, quite so settled.

Because here we are, nearly a decade on, and the very foundation of same-sex marriage in the United States is once again being challenged, albeit in a rather curious way. A group of conservative advocates, led by Indiana Congressman Jim Banks, has formally petitioned the Supreme Court, urging them to revisit Obergefell. And honestly, it’s a move that certainly raises eyebrows, sparking both deep concern and fervent debate across the nation.

So, what’s behind this sudden — or perhaps, not-so-sudden — push? You could say the fuse was lit back in 2022. That's when the Court dramatically overturned Roe v. Wade with its Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization ruling. While the majority opinion for Dobbs explicitly stated it only pertained to abortion, a striking concurrence from Justice Clarence Thomas offered a different, more expansive view.

Justice Thomas, in his solo reflection, argued that if the Court truly wanted to jettison judicial precedents rooted in