The Freedom From Religion Foundation is celebrating the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision today to reject a misguided appeal seeking to overturn Obergefell v. Hodges, the landmark 2015 ruling that guaranteed marriage equality nationwide.

The court declined to hear Davis v. Ermold, an appeal by former Kentucky county clerk Kim Davis, who was seeking to escape liability for denying marriage licenses to same-sex couples in defiance of the law and a federal court order back in 2015. The denial brings a decisive and welcome end to a long-running effort by Davis and her backers at the Christian nationalist legal outfit, Liberty Counsel, to undo one of the most significant civil rights victories in modern history.

“The Supreme Court’s refusal to revisit Obergefell is a reaffirmation that our government must treat all families equally, regardless of religion,” says FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor. “Love won a decade ago — and love wins again today.”

FFRF is honored that Obergefell v. Hodges plaintiff Jim Obergefell will be a featured speaker at FFRF’s 49th Annual National Convention next October in Milwaukee, receiving its “Forward” Award.

Davis became infamous for defying her oath of office and refusing to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples after the Obergefell decision. Her refusal violated a federal court order, led to several lawsuits and, ultimately, hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages and legal fees. Liberty Counsel — one of the nation’s most aggressive Christian nationalist legal organizations — has spent years trying to use Davis’ case as a vehicle to roll back LGBTQ-plus rights and impose religious privilege in public office.

“Liberty Counsel’s crusade to overturn marriage equality is about one thing: imposing its narrow religious perspective on everyone else, and the Supreme Court was right to reject that,” adds FFRF Legal Counsel Chris Line, who predicted that the court would reject Davis’ appeal.

The Obergefell decision, authored by Justice Anthony Kennedy in 2015, remains one of the great affirmations of personal liberty in American history. Nearly 600,000 same-sex couples have since married, strengthening families and communities across the nation. The ruling stands as a testament to the Constitution’s promise of equal protection and the importance of keeping religion out of government.

“Jim Obergefell has truly moved society forward,” says Gaylor. “We can’t wait to celebrate his legacy — and today’s reaffirmation of that legacy — with him in person.”

FFRF remains vigilant as Christian nationalist groups continue to attack LGBTQ-plus rights under the guise of “religious freedom,” and will continue defending true religious liberty — the right of all Americans to live free from government-imposed religion and religious discrimination.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a U.S.-based nonprofit dedicated to promoting the constitutional principle of separation between state and church and educating the public on matters of nontheism. With more than 42,000 members, FFRF advocates for freethinkers’ rights across the globe. For more information, visit ffrf.org.

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