US Supreme Court Rules Same-Sex Marriage Is Legal in 2015

 

The Supreme¹ Court often looks at a major social issue over a series of cases. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, it considered the rights of gay² people.

At the time, voters in many states had approved laws strongly limiting gay rights. For example, police in Texas were permitted to arrest same-sex partners. Around the same time, voters in other states began permitting official same-sex unions.

Like voters, the Supreme Court members were divided about the issue. But in three cases, a majority struck down laws limiting homosexual relationships.

The fourth case was brought by a man named Jim Obergefell. He had married a man named John Arthur in the state of Maryland, where gay marriage was legal. But the couple lived another state, where it was not. Three months after they were married, Arthur died. The question was: what would the official death certificate⁴ say? Was Arthur married? Or not?

The dispute⁵ made its way to the Supreme Court in 2015. Five of the nine justices sided with Obergefell. Yes, they said, he and Arthur were married, and the death certificate must say so. Their decision made gay marriage legal in every state.

Words in This Story

homosexual - adj. based on or showing a sexual³ attraction to people of the same sex

gay - adj. of, relating to, or used by homosexuals

death certificate - n. an official document that gives information about a person's death

1 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

2 gay   

adj.同性恋的；色彩鲜艳的；n.(男)同性恋者

参考例句：

• I don't know he was a gay person.我不知道他是同性恋者。
• Spring comes round to the earth again and everything looks fresh and gay.春回大地，万象更新。

3 sexual   

adj.性的，两性的，性别的

参考例句：

• He was a person of gross sexual appetites.他是个性欲旺盛的人。
• It is socially irresponsible to refuse young people advice on sexual matters.拒绝向年轻人提供性方面的建议是对社会不负责任。

4 certificate   

n.证书，证明书；vt.发给证明书，认可，鉴定

参考例句：

• She proudly displayed her degree certificate to her parents.她自豪地向父母展示了学位证书。
• No one had seen her marriage certificate.没人看到过她的结婚证书。

5 dispute   

n.争端，分歧；v.争论，争吵，辩论，辩驳

参考例句：

• They are trying to find a way of settling the dispute.他们正设法寻找解决争端的办法。
• The parties to the dispute should be more polite to each other.争执双方应相互礼貌些。