Same-sex marriage is an issue that is both professionally
and personally relevant to many of us. With the Windsor v. United States
decision, the Supreme Court struck down parts of the federal Defense of
Marriage Act and confirmed the right for states to recognize or prohibit
same-sex unions. Right now, 21 states and the District of Columbia allow
same-sex marriage, while 28 states prohibit it in their constitutions.
Furthermore, some states (Arkansas, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Utah) are
in limbo as they have issued marriage licenses to same-sex couples, which have
now been put on hold until judicial challenges are resolved.
This patchwork system of recognition or
denial of same-sex marriage has led to turbulence (to put it mildly!) for many
same-sex couples. In my relationship with my partner, our Canadian marriage was
recognized by our state of Wisconsin for one week. Scores of same-sex marriages
were conducted in our state during this time. However, with the implementation
of a judicial stay on the ruling allowing same-sex marriage in Wisconsin,
marriage rights were immediately stripped for hundreds of same-sex couples. My
partner and I joked that we were legally spouses on a recent trip to Minnesota,
which recognizes same-sex marriages. However, when we crossed the border back
into Wisconsin, we became legal strangers.
With many religious institutions
performing same-sex unions, why is it important for same-sex marriages to have
legal recognition by both state and federal governments? These reasons may be
painfully obvious; most likely we can all recite the fact that over 1000
benefits are conferred with federally-recognized marriage. However, there are a
myriad of other benefits of marriage that are not codified by law. For example,
the work of psychologists Ellen Riggle, Sharon Rostosky, and Sharon Horne has
documented that legally recognized same-sex couples experienced less
psychological stress (e.g., internalized homophobia, depression) and greater
well-being (e.g., meaning in life) than those whose partnership lacked legal
standing. Thank you for reading this issue of Perspectives. I am excited
about the work that our Section members have done and all we have yet to
accomplish. Our research, teaching, and clinical work have us poised on the
battlefield to fight for marriage rights. I am proud to be a member of Division
35, where psychologists are fighting to provide not only marriage equality, but
social justice for all.
