Today DOMA was determined to be unconstitutional by the highest court in the land after the Supreme Court ruled on United States v. Windsor. This decision means that same-sex couples who are legally married must now be treated the same under federal law as married opposite-sex couples. The plaintiff is Edith Windsor, above, who filed suit against the government after the Defense of Marriage Act after her wife’s death left her with a heavy tax bill that an opposite-sex marriage would have avoided.
Today’s decision not only means the government won’t make such distinctions in the future, it means Windsor gets over $300,000 back — “with interest,” her attorney pointed out.
At a press conference, Windsor was introduced by her attorney: “Like Susan B. Anthony, or Rosa Parks, or Harvey Milk before her, Edie has lit a torch of freedom for others to follow.” Windsor started with: “We won everything we asked and hoped for.”
MORE QUOTABLES FROM EDITH WINDSOR’S PRESS CONFERENCE:
“To all of the gay people and their supporters who have cheered me on: thank you, thank you, thank you. I’m sure Thea is thanking you, too. … Our own community has come out and seen each other and loved each other in a way that makes me proud and courageous every day.”
“Children born today will grow up in a world without DOMA. And those children who are gay will be free to grow up and love and be married.”
“If I had to survive Thea, what a glorious way to do it. And she would be so pleased.”
“Internalized homophobia is a bitch,” she said, explaining how she had to lie about her relationship.
