SCOTUS ruling against DOMA moves the world a step closer to marriage equality

Andrew Sullivan has said that marriage equality is the civil rights issue of our age. As have many others, including Mayor Bloomberg. I agree. 

The recent decision by the Supreme Court of the United States did not actually find a fundamental right in the constitution to same-sex marriage. Therefore the highest court in America did not impose gay marriage by fiat on every state. Rather, the court led by Chief Justice John Roberts made it that federal law upholds and recognizes all gay marriages. 

There are 30 states that still ban marriage equality an they can continue to do so; but the federal government cannot stop marriage equality. As Andrew Sullivan said, the democratic debate will go on at state level, even as the momentum for equality has been increased. Andrew said:

"I find these incremental nudges and concessions to be the best kind of jurisprudence."

Andrew Sullivan then commented on the global import of America's new constitutional arrangement:

"Last week the court saw the mountaintop ahead and nudged America - and the world - towards it."

You can read Andrew's piece in the June 30 2013 edition of the Sunday Times here (£).

More reading on the issue from Andrew Sullivan here and here. Major Bloomberg said during the 2013 Stanford Commencement speech:

“In the whole history of the United States, no law limiting the rights of a particular class of people has ever stood the test of time, and neither will [laws like the Defense of Marriage Act]... marriage equality is the civil rights issue of our time.”

Also, see below the evolution of marriage equality rights in the United States [hat-tip to Andrew Sullivan and Maria Popova].