Article author:
AP communication
J. Reeves
Birmingham, Alabama (AP) — Emails and phone calls from same-sex couples worried about their legal status in marriage and keeping their children, Supreme Court Within hours of his ruling, the lawyer's office in Sydney Duncan was flooded, eliminating the constitutional right to abortion.
Last week's ruling did not directly influence the 2015 decision that paved the way for same-sex marriage. But according to Duncan, it was still a warning shot for families led by same-sex parents, for families who feared that their rights would evaporate, such as those trying to end their pregnancy. That is.
"It scares a lot of people, and I think so," he specializes in representing members of the LGBTQ community at the Magic City Legal Center in Birmingham. Duncan said.
Overturning a case nearly 50 years ago, the Supreme Court ruled in a Mississippi case that abortion was not protected by the Constitution. This ruling could lead to a ban in about half of the states. Judge Samuel Alito said the judgment was only related to medical procedures, "in this opinion it should be understood that nothing casts doubt on cases unrelated to abortion." ..
However, conservative judge Clarence Thomas called on his colleagues to reconsider cases that enable same-sex marriage, gay sex, and contraception.
The three most liberal members of the court warned in opposition that this ruling could be used to challenge the freedom of other individuals. I am. Under the threat. Either one.
That outlook warns some LGBTQ couples who are worried about returning to a time when they lacked equal rights to heterosexual couples married under the law. Many are now working to solve potential medical, parental, and property problems for fear that their marriage status is at stake.
DawnBetts-Green and his wife Anna Green did not waste time doing legal paperwork after the decision. They have already visited a legal clinic for same-sex families and have begun the process of making a will.
"Then, if they blow us back into the Dark Ages, we can legally protect our relationship," he said. Bettsgreen, who works with a non-profit organization based in Alabama, said. It records the history of LGBTQ people in the South.
Robin Reid in Minneapolis feels particularly vulnerable because a white woman is married to a black trans-gender man. Decisions that undermine same-sex or interracial marriage will completely overturn Reed's life, including the couple's three-month-old child.
"I don't think anything is safe about my marriage," said Reed, a legal aide.
Reed's employer, Sarah Breiner, a Breiner law firm, said in both the Twin Cities and Atlanta regions that same-sex couples could meet potential legal needs after a court decision. We are holding a seminar. Breiner said helping people stay calm about the future is part of her recent work.
"I don't know what will happen, but that's the problem," Breiner said.
As a sign of what will happen, Alabama has already quoted an abortion ruling calling on the Federal Court of Appeals to enact a new state law that makes doctors ferronize prescribing puberty suppressants. doing. Hormones for transgender people under the age of 19. The state argued that the decision to empower the state to limit abortion meant that the state should also be able to ban the treatment of transgender youth.
Attempts to revoke a gay marriage began with a lawsuit, and the possibility of rollback is years ahead, as a major legal threat is not imminent, telling Washington. Catherine Oakley, senior adviser and director of state legislation based, said. Human Rights Campaign, an LGBTQ advocate.
"This is definitely a horrifying moment and people are nervous, but their marriage is still safe," Oakley said.
While the threat to same-sex couples feels particularly serious in conservative states, Oakley recently adopted a second parent to protect the family by having both names. The adoptive parent of the birth certificate said he had heard stories from people all over the country seeking. She said that people have also completed medical instructions in case a spouse is incapacitated and has a general real estate plan.
Ryan Ceiba's law firm in Hollywood, Florida has set up a parent-in-law for qualified same-sex couples to relieve some of the stress caused by potential ripples. Offers a free second-parent adoption similar to the adoption of the impact of an abortion decision.
"Last week, when (the decision) came out, I realized I needed to do something," said upgrade lawyer Ceiba.
Broward County judges are planning to have a special day in August to complete all adoptions at once, Mr. Ceiba said. She said that completing the process should give more security to the nervous family, if nothing else.
"I really don't know what happens when gay marriages are gone," she said. "It's better to be on the safe side."
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Montgomery Associated Press writer Kim Chandler contributed to this report.