RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Gay rights organizations, couples, and lawmakers are celebrating the Supreme Court decision Friday, elated with the ruling, while others are calling it a sad day for the country and for families.
It’s been a few months since the state’s ban on same sex marriage was overturned, and same sex couples started lining up to get their marriage licenses in Virginia. Now those couples who fought for so long for that right in the state, are celebrating that their marriages will be recognized across the country.
“It’s now nice to know that the folks married in Virginia can go anywhere in the united states and be recognized,” said James Parrish of Equality Virginia.
But not everyone was celebrating the Supreme Court’s landmark decision.
“Today marks a sad day for the future of children in our nation,” said Victoria Cobb.
Cobb with the family foundation says the decision will deny a number of children the right to a mom and a dad, saying it’s the best way for a child to be raised.
“Every child deserves the chance we give them to be raised by a mom and a dad,” said Cobb. “This isn’t spontaneously creating families, these gay and lesbian families are out there, they exist, they just weren’t officially recognized by the government.”
Parrish with says Friday’s decision now protects children under same sex couples.
“I think all Americans should be alarmed at where our courts have gone and the types of opinions that are coming out of the court right now,” Parrish explained. “There will be bumps in the road but at the end of the day this is now the law of the land and gay and lesbian people will have the freedom to marry the person they love in the place they call home.”
