Earlier this year on April 28th, the Supreme Court of the United States, in Obergefell v. Hodges, heard oral arguments on whether marriage equality should become the law of the land in all 50 states. With a historic ruling expected later this month, the 65 rulings in favor of marriage equality in the past two years have demonstrated that the country is ready, and that outdated arguments against the freedom to marry simply don’t survive judicial review.
As the New Mexico Supreme Court so boldly announced in 2013 that marriage equality was law in the Land on Enchantment, New Mexicans applauded the decision knowing how important it was for all couples to have the right to marry and to be afforded the same legal protections that had been previously unattainable for same-sex couples. Unfortunately, many same-sex couples live in one of the 13 states that do not have the freedom to marry. Marriage bans are not only discriminatory, but they also adversely affect the lives of everyday families.
Being a Queer Chicana growing up in Doña County, where marriage licenses were first issued to same sex couples in the state, I have seen how most of society—especially the Latino community—has continued to evolve when talking about marriage equality and LGBTQ rights. With the latest GALLUP poll showing that 72% of Latinos in the United States support marriage equality (third highest of any demographic in the U.S), I know that it is not any different here in Southern New Mexico. Latinos understand the importance of family por que Familia es Familia, and that also means being in solidarity with the many families—many of whom are also Latino—who are still waiting for their families to be recognized under the law.
As we await the historic ruling from the Supreme Court later this month, help us share the videos below to show that more than the majority of Latinos support the freedom to marry in the United States