The battle over LGBTQ+ rights is in the spotlight as Idaho Republican legislators push for the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Obergefell v. Hodges, the landmark 2015 decision that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide.
A resolution introduced Tuesday argues that the Supreme Court exceeded its authority in requiring states to recognize same-sex unions. The measure, non-binding but provocative, calls for a return to what it describes as the "natural definition" of marriage: one man and one woman.
"The Idaho Legislature insists on restoring the issue of marriage and enforcement of all laws pertaining to marriage back to the several states and the people," the resolution states, as reported by the Advocate.
While this non-binding measure lacks power to enact laws or enforce rules, its rhetoric signals conservative priorities ahead of Trump's January 20 inauguration.
LGBTQ+ advocates and civil rights groups are slamming the resolution as part of a broader wave of conservative-led attacks on human rights.
"This cruel action by Idaho Republicans amounts to nothing more than shouting at the wind," said Sarah Warbelow, legal affairs vice president at the Human Rights Campaign. "Resolutions are not laws, and state legislatures lack the power to dismantle marriage equality."
These moves are unfolding against a backdrop of growing public support for same-sex marriage. 69% of Americans back marriage equality, a 2024 Gallup poll revealed.
Despite this support, recent remarks by Justice Clarence Thomas have emboldened anti-LGBTQ+ lawmakers.
In his concurring opinion in the Dobbs decision, which overturned Roe v. Wade, Thomas called for revisiting decisions like Obergefell, threatening the legal foundation for marriage equality and other rights.
The resolution has garnered online debate.
"Donald Trump has gathered some of the most homophobic politicians I have seen for his cabinet... no doubt they will go after interracial marriages next," one Redditor remarked.
Another discussed dissonance between personal values and political choices: "I have an (in-law) family member that is gay. He voted for Trump 'because the border crisis.'"
Others are taking a more existential view. "The U.S. had a good run for 250 years," one user wrote. "Most of the powerful civilizations ever ran for 500 to 1,000 years."
The Respect for Marriage Act, passed in 2022, provides federal protections for same-sex unions; overturning Obergefell wouldn't automatically end marriage equality.
This resolution reflects a broader effort to erode LGBTQ+ rights at the state level, as states have already moved to restrict gender-affirming care and ban drag performances.
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