Orlando's gay community and its supporters will hold a "Marriage Equality Rally" celebrating U.S. Supreme Court rulings on gay marriage at 7 p.m. today at Lake Eola Park.
Wednesday was bittersweet for Florida supporters of marriage equality.
The Supreme Court voted 5-4 to overturn part of the Defense of Marriage Act, which had denied federal benefits to married same-sex couples. But the ruling did not address state laws that invalidate same-sex unions.
Florida has a state statute and an amendment to its constitution defining marriage as between a man and a woman, and maintaining that same-sex marriages from other states are invalid.
WASHINGTON (AP) -- In significant but incomplete victories for gay rights, the Supreme Court on Wednesday struck down a provision of a federal law denying federal benefits to married gay couples and cleared the way for the resumption of same-sex marriage in California.
The justices issued two 5-4 rulings in their final session of the term. One decision wiped away part of a federal anti-gay marriage law that has kept legally married same-sex couples from receiving tax, health and pension benefits.
South Floridians reacted to the Supreme Court's rulings Wednesday, which overturned the federal Defense of Marriage Act and rejected the appeal of a California marriage ban.
"It's a great decision, but I just think that there's a lot of growth that Florida needs to overcome," said Melanie Alenier.
Today’s rulings are a major step forward for the country, but for Floridians they fall far short of justice and are more than anything a call to action.
For those of us who live in state’s like Florida where our marriages are still not recognized, today’s rulings are a reminder that we cannot wait for justice to be handed to us, we are going to have to get engaged and fight.
A majority of Floridians support the freedom to marry, and this is our moment to stand up and get engaged on the right side of history.
In a highly anticipated ruling, the Supreme Court ruled the federal Defense of Marriage Act is unconstitutional.
The 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, or DOMA, was signed into law by President Bill Clinton, barring federal recognition of same-sex marriages for purposes such as Social Security survivors’ benefits, insurance benefits, immigration and tax filing.