Gays In America

Same-sex marriage has been on the forefront of the news for several months now. This is thanks to the Supreme Court ruling back in June that made same-sex marriage legal in all 50 states. While those in the LGBT community and their supporters have applauded the Supreme Court decision, there are many who have been less than pleased with the decision. Needless to say, this has caused some controversy, some of which you have surely heard about. Perhaps one of the most followed stories by the media was the story of Kim Davis, the incredibly deviant county clerk who wouldn’t issue same-sex marriage licenses and even spent a few nights in jail over it. She was released from jail, but only on the condition that she wouldn’t interfere with same-sex marriage licenses being issued.

Bill Filed in Tennessee

Now the news has shifted to Tennessee, where Republicans have filed a bill rejecting the Supreme Court’s decision on same-sex marriage for the state. State Representative Mark Pody spoke on the bill, and he said the Supreme Court’s ruling has trampled on the rights of states. Before the ruling, same-sex marriage was banned in 13 states, and the ruling overturned the bans. Pody also stated it is a step toward taking away religious freedom from Christians and others who disagree with gay marriage. Pody is referencing Davis and other Christians who refused to serve same-sex couples and who have been punished for it. A couple examples of this include:

• Owners of a bakery didn’t want to bake a wedding cake for a same-sex couple, and they were taken to court. The court ruled they could not discriminate against same-sex couples, even when it interfered with their religious beliefs.
• Owners of a florist didn’t want to provide their services to a same-sex couple. Similar to the bakery, they were told they couldn’t refuse to serve same-sex couples.

Pody also expressed concern that the law is tramping on the rights of the states that had voted to ban same-sex marriage. State Senator Mae Beavers weighed in on the bill, saying “natural marriage between one man and one woman as recognized by the people of this state remains the law, regardless of any court decision to the contrary.”

Protection for Those Who Object to Same-Sex Marriage

The bill wouldn’t prevent same-sex couples from getting married in the state of Tennessee. It would simply prevent those who reject the idea of same-sex marriage from getting into legal trouble if they don’t want to marry same-sex couples. However, the bill is likely to receive a lot of backlash because it has the possibility of interfering with the rights of same-sex couples. For example, what would happen if a same-sex couple in Tennessee wanted to get married but couldn’t find a county clerk willing to issue the license because it interfered with his or her religious beliefs?

How Far Will the Bill Go?

The good news for those in the LGBT community is the bill almost certainly doesn’t stand a chance in court. The fact is, the Supreme Court has made its decision. For example, Davis asked the Supreme Court to make a ruling giving her the right to decline to issue a same-sex marriage license, and it refused.

Many are concerned this will cause discrimination against same-sex couples seeking a marriage license. Still, even though the bill has about a zero percent chance of passing, it is still another bump in the road for those in a same-sex relationship who want to get married, and even more so for those who just want equality. However, it is something that will be overcome, and when the bill is rejected, perhaps the representatives in the state will accept the fact that same-sex marriage is legal and needs to be recognized.