The man whose name is synonymous with marriage equality is a board member of the LGBTQ+ organization Family Equality and co-founded Equality Vines, which donates profits to the cause of equality. He is also an executive producer at the JustMarried Project, which reinforces arguments for marriage equality through the storytelling of queer couples.
By now, his own story is well known. In 2011, Obergefell’s longtime partner, John Arthur, was diagnosed with ALS.
In 2013, Obergefell and Arthur were legally married in Maryland. However, due to Ohio’s ban, Obergefell would not be listed as Arthur’s surviving spouse on his death certificate, so they filed suit demanding recognition of their marriage. A federal judge quickly ruled in their favor, and John died a married man in October 2013.
Ohio won on appeal in 2014, but the U.S. Supreme Court eventually ruled in favor of marriage equality in Obergefell v. Hodges.
The ruling occurred just days before New York City Pride on June 26, 2015. We chatted with Obergefell via email from his home in Sandusky, Ohio, about attempts to kill marriage equality at the high court and in Congress, the political climate, and the JustMarried Project.QUEERTY: Thanks for talking to Queerty Ever After, Jim! Where do you live these days, and what are you up to?Subscribe to our newsletter for a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.OBERGEFELL: I moved back to my hometown, Sandusky, Ohio, in 2021. I’ve been keeping busy with speaking engagements, my work as a board member for Family Equality, and my wine business, Equality Vines, which supports equality organizations.I’m also an executive producer on the JustMarried Project.
Rights
queer
Equality
community
Courts
Love
UPS
Jim Obergefell