A decade after the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage nationwide, we asked people from across the country to share stories of what the ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges has meant to them.
NEW YORK CITY
Michael Rucker
Obergefell aroused our conflicting views on gay marriage. I harbored romantic fantasies. John remained adamantly opposed: Why mess with our happy 15-year relationship? Ultimately, bureaucracy brought us to the altar. After John was diagnosed with incurable cancer, I convinced him to get a quick City Hall marriage to mitigate any legal complications.
Days later, John entered the hospital. At every turn, someone asked, “Who’s the next of kin?” The look of adoration in John’s eyes whenever I answered, “I am,” proved he was as overjoyed as I was.Our 15-month marriage was the pinnacle of our relationship despite much of it being spent at Memorial Sloan Kettering.
I’m no longer married. But I’m not “single.” I’m a widower. And I am immensely grateful the Supreme Court made that distinction possible.
Mike Rucker Writes 