Jim Obergefell, Marriage Equality Plaintiff, Runs for Ohio House
married on an airport tarmac in 2013 in Maryland, which allowed same-sex unions. Arthur died three months later, and Ohio would not recognize the marriage even on his death certificate.Obergefell sued, and his case, consolidated with others from Michigan, Kentucky, and Tennessee, resulted in the U.S.
Supreme Court’s 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges ruling, which struck down all remaining state laws against same-sex marriage.“It wasn't just about John and our marriage,” he told The Cincinnati Enquirer after announcing his candidacy. “It was about our ability to fully participate in society, and that’s what I want for the people of this district and everyone across Ohio.
I want everyone to have the ability to fully participate in society and in the economy.”He has continued his activism for LGBTQ+ equality since then.
He spoke out against Donald Trump’s anti-equality Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett, and he owns a wine label that generates revenue for nonprofit organizations.
