The U.S. Constitution: A Living Document

“Under the Constitution, same-sex couples seek in marriage the same legal treatment as opposite-sex couples, and it would disparage their choices and diminish their personhood to deny them this right.” —From the majority opinion in Obergefell v. Hodges, authored by Justice Anthony Kennedy, joined by Justices Breyer, Ginsburg, Kagan, and Sotomayor

I hope you will join me today as we celebrate one of America’s greatest documents, the U.S. Constitution. More than simply a guideline for government, for 228 years, this living document has made America a more fair and just place for all.

In 1787, 40 representatives of 13 original colonies signed and established the guiding principles for our young nation. For 42 years, Lambda Legal has relied on thousands of individuals — people like you — to keep our lawyers in court fighting to bring the principles of equality embedded in the Constitution to LGBT people and those with HIV around the country. And even in this year of amazing progress, there is still more to do.

Sign-on for Equality: Join Lambda Legal Today

Our sweeping Supreme Court victory in Obergefell v. Hodges declared that the Due Process and Equal Protec­tion Clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment protect the right of same-sex couples to marry.  But not long after that historic decision was released, our adversaries were quick to denounce it as “judicial tyranny” and “a judicial assault on our Constitution.” 

And attacks on our courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court, are just one form of backlash against our recent victories. Across the nation today there are still politicians and judges – respected people with power over our lives – who are saying loudly and in public that LGBT people don’t deserve equality and trying to pass legislation that would perpetuate prejudice and legitimize discrimination.

These attacks threaten our constitutional rights – and as we work to continue our progress towards equality, we must also work hard to safeguard our victories.

Protect and Defend the Constitution: Join Lambda Legal Today!

I hope you’ll take a moment today to reflect on how far we have come, and what we the people can do to form a more perfect union — for all people in America.

Your membership gift to Lambda Legal today will support the sharpest minds in the LGBT movement – and it will also be matched dollar for dollar with a remarkable $1.25 million matching gift from the estate of John Barham and Dick Auer. Become a Lambda Legal member today – defend the Constitution and double your impact!