Michigan gay marriage law
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Prior to this ruling, Michigan’s legal framework was defined by the Michigan Marriage Amendment, passed in 2004, which explicitly prohibited same-sex marriage by defining marriage as a union between one man and one woman. Their legal team in the case included future Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel.
My hope would be there would be some organizational financial support to put this on the ballot in 2026, but I don’t know yet whether that would be there and I would rather not put it on the ballot in 2026 than put something forward without enough support."
Meanwhile, MME is a fledgling group. For example, the court overturned Roe v.
According to a Public Religion Research Institute survey conducted in 2024 and published earlier this year, 67% or Americans support same-sex marriage, compared with 54% in 2014. So, what do other statewide elected Dems think? ... He said the decision “defaced the definition of marriage, undermined our God-given rights, increased persecution of Christians and confused the American family structure.” (The action prompted a strong reaction from Gov.
Gretchen Whitmer. So, what was it like to cover the landmark decision? "All those things should be on the radar and should be being discussed and, at the same time, the community needs to be incredibly concerned, worried, angry in opposition of all the attacks against transgender people."
Nessel: "My hope is that this will be on the ballot in 2026, that we will repeal both the Michigan Marriage Amendment as well as any underlying statutes that prohibit marriage between same-sex couples and it won't be a concern for us in Michigan."
She added: "The longer we have same-sex marriage and the more people who just know same-sex couples and see these are their neighbors, their friends, their parishioners in their churches, the more they don't want to hurt them or discriminate against them, the more it's normalized in our culture.
This amendment reflected the political and social climate of the time, barring legislative efforts to recognize same-sex marriages or civil unions within the state.
As public opinion began to shift, so did the legislative environment. State legislators, including in Michigan, have introduced resolutions urging the Supreme Court to overturn its same-sex marriage decision.
The Michigan Adoption Code now facilitates joint adoption by married same-sex couples, ensuring that both partners are legally recognized as parents, with all associated rights and responsibilities.
Beyond adoption, the legal recognition of same-sex marriage in Michigan affords couples numerous benefits related to taxation and financial planning.
“Enough is enough,” said Brinks in a statement. This included areas such as tax filing status, healthcare decision-making, and spousal benefits.
State Legislation and Amendments
The legislative landscape in Michigan regarding same-sex marriage has been marked by significant shifts, particularly in response to evolving judicial interpretations and societal changes.
"I personally believe we should begin the process and put the question on the ballot in 2026," said Morgan. Last year, Justice Samuel Alito reignited criticism of the Obergefell ruling. Hodges decision by the Supreme Court in 2015 was transformative for the legal status of same-sex marriage across the United States, fundamentally altering the landscape in Michigan.
April DeBoer, a Michigan woman, sued then-Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder because she and her partner, Jayne Rowse, were unable to marry in Michigan. They wanted to marry so they could adopt children together.
Doesn't Michigan have a state constitutional amendment that bans same-sex marriage?
It does.
And I think that because of that ― the combination of the law and the decision with changing hearts and minds ― I think that combination makes it not really enticing for the court to do anything to reverse it. Earlier this year, state Rep. Josh Schriver, R-Oxford, introduced a resolution urging the Supreme Court to overturn Obergefell. Less than a decade later, in 2004, Michigan voters amended the Michigan Constitution to ban gay marriage.
So I think they have less to worry about."
What sort of support is there for same-sex marriage? “I think it has to be.