Jim Obergefell became an international name for his role as lead plaintiff in the watershed case that led to the US Supreme Court’s decision to bring marriage equality to all 50 of the United States of America.
Obergefell’s late husband, John Arthur, was diagnosed with ALS, a fatal illness, in 2011. Jim and John were married in 2013 on a medical aircraft on the tarmac at Maryland airport, after the US Supreme Court amended the Defense of Marriage Act.
Obergefell and Arthur filed a suit against the state of Ohio, seeking legal recognition of their marriage on John Arthur’s impending death certificate.
After an appeal by Ohio in the Sixth District Court of Appeals, Obergefell and 5 other plaintiffs from the region seeking legal recognition for their relationships were ruled against, which led to their cases being consolidated and brought before the US Supreme Court.
On June 26 2015, the US Supreme Court ruled in favour of Obergefell and the other plaintiffs, which allowed for marriage equality across the United States.
Yesterday, Obergefell answered the internet’s questions on Reddit in a scheduled AMA forum.
Here are some highlights from Jim Obergefell’s AMA;
Peruse the full AMA on Reddit here.
OIP Staff
