Editor's note: This story was updated to clarify that members of Spectrum attended the celebration individually, not as an organization.
Part of the Defense of Marriage Act was overturned by the Supreme Court Wednesday, and supportive Hoosiers crowded the Statehouse steps to celebrate.
Amid singing, dancing and flag-waving, Chris Paulsen, president of the equal rights group Indiana Equality Action, brought the decision home for the attentive crowd.
“This will immediately have effects for people who live here in Indiana,” Paulsen said. “Bi-national couples have some rights that they didn’t have yesterday. That is a great day for some Hoosiers.”
Gov. Mike Pence said in a statement that he was disappointed by the high court’s decision.
“I believe marriage is the union between a man and a woman and is a unique institution worth defending in our state and nation,” he said. “For thousands of years, marriage has served as the glue that holds families and societies together and so it should ever be.”
Pence also said the people of Indiana should have their say on how marriage is defined in the state.
“I look forward to supporting efforts by members of the Indiana General Assembly to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot for voter consideration next year,” he said.
Jaime Whitaker, president of Ball State Spectrum, the university's gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and straight ally organization, said the Supreme Court’s decision is a huge step in the right direction. Whitaker said members attended the event individually in support of LGBT rights, not as an organization.
“It was an amazing day,” Whitaker said. “We were still hoping for more, hoping that it would just finally be legal everywhere.”
He said there is still work to be done, but it does have big implications for him.
“For me, if you had to say it in just one word, it means hope,” Whitaker said. “I have, since I was young, always wanted to be married in my hometown with all of my family that lives there. To see the Supreme Court shoot down DOMA gives me hope that in the near future or sometime in my life I can see that happen.”
Elizabeth Boyle, a senior nursing major, said she doesn’t have much of an opinion on same-sex marriage, but feels it shouldn’t be allowed due to her religion.
“I just think [marriage] is not gonna be as respected,” Boyle said. “I just think it should be just a man and a woman and if it’s gonna allow same-sex it’s just not gonna be not taken as seriously.”
Carli Hendershot, a Ball State student, attended the celebration at the courthouse with a group of about 10 other people. She said she hopes more states will legalize gay marriage and LGBT rights will be expanded.
“It means a lot to me,” Hendershot said. “I have a future that I might be able to marry the girl of my dreams.”
As hopeful as she is now, Hendershot and Whitaker could be unable to make their respective wedding plans if HJR-6 is passed. HJR-6 is an upcoming joint resolution that would constitutionally make marriage in Indiana only between a man and a woman, effectively blocking the Supreme Court’s decision.
“We’re going to start staffing up and we will have grassroots people on the ground, speaking to legislators and constituents to try to stop the vote,” Paulsen said. “The fight starts here in this building tomorrow.”
She said some of the things people can do to join their fight is spread the word, donate money or volunteer, and that college students can be a part of it all.
“We’re going to be mobilizing to colleges,” Paulsen said. “We’re going to have a college organizer going around to Ball State, to IU, to Purdue, to mobilize college students. You guys are our future.”
She said supporters need to stand up, speak out, make their voices heard and make their actions count, bringing up the example of Edith Windsor, the plaintiff in the case.
“It took an 83-year-old lesbian to make the Supreme Court realize their mistake,” Paulsen said. “Edith Windsor will be one of the new LGBT folk heroes. She spent millions of her own money to help us have rights in the future. We need people like that to step up. Everybody can make a difference.”
