I got my news from Facebook this morning and thanks to George Takei I first read that DOMA is dead. I liked it and shared because it’s great news and I did the same thing with a bunch of the other celebratory memes as well.

So, the the Defense of Marriage Act was ruled unconstitutional. But what exactly does that mean? From what the articles seem to be saying, it means the Federal Government must recognize same-sex marriages and give those couples equal protection and recognition under the federal law: like receiving equal social security benefits that those in a “traditional” marriage would receive.

However,  asshole states still do not have to recognize marriages preformed in other states: that part of DOMA wasn’t being challenged so the court can’t make a ruling on it. But the Feds have to recognize them and that’s a hugely important win for civil rights.

So we’re not done. There will still have to be legislation introduced and judicial battles in all but 13 states and Washington, DC.

Prop. 8 was also struck down. The State of California refused to defend it and the activists proponents of Prop. 8 had to defend it. The Supreme Court just ruled that those activists have no legal standing to be defending a state law and shouldn’t be there in the first place. Basically they said only states can defend state laws so GTFO.

It’s an extremely good day. I just feel like more progress would be made if George Takei had a dragon.

~David T Kukulkan~