Across the Country, Students Celebrate Same-Sex Marriage

Harvard students from Washington, D.C., to New York shed tears of joy and marched in parades this weekend to celebrate the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark decision on Friday to recognize same-sex marriage as a constitutional right.

“I literally was crying,” said Lily M. Velona ’18, who visited the Supreme Court on Friday during her lunch break. “I called my mom and my dad and the person I’m dating; it was just a really monumental time.”

Velona said people were still celebrating—many of them singing—outside the court hours after the opinion was handed down Friday morning. Later that night, Velona hosted a party in celebration of the ruling Friday night, inviting other Harvard students in the area.

On behalf of five justices, Justice Anthony M. Kennedy wrote in the Court’s majority opinion that the Constitution guarantees a fundamental right to same-sex marriage and that states must recognize same-sex unions.

Kara J.W. Lessin ’16, who was in the Supreme Court chamber when that ruling was announced, recalled her reaction.

“When I realized that what I was hearing was what I was hearing, I just started crying,” Lessin said. “I just looked around and thought: I get to be here in this moment and experience the fact that in this moment in history I was a couple hundred feet away from [Justice] Ruth Bader Ginsburg.”

Throughout the weekend, students celebrated the decision many miles away from Washington, marching in gay pride parades and attending rallies in San Francisco, New York City, and other cities across the country. And Facebook lit up with color as dozens of students changed their profile pictures rainbow in celebration.

The Boston Pride Committee hosted a rally outside the Massachusetts State House on Friday evening that featured U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, and Mary Bonauto, one of the lawyers who argued the same-sex marriage case before the Supreme Court.

“We should celebrate and rejoice, and I know we will,” Healey said at the celebration. “But I’ll tell you what: Don’t make any mistake about it. We have so much work to do. Because we know that here in this state and across this country there are LGBT young people who are looking to us who need our help. We also know we have work to do right now, right in this time, right behind us when it comes to transgender equality. And that is a fight that we’re all going to engage in.”

Marriage for All - Liz Nania, left, and Sandy Bailey of Roslindale, Mass., celebrate the U.S. Supreme Court's same-sex marriage ruling outside the Massachusetts State House on Friday. "We were married last year," Nania said.

Maura Healey Speaks - Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey speaks at a celebration of the U.S. Supreme Court's same-sex marriage decision outside the State House on Friday. Healey was one in a lineup of speakers including lawyer Mary Bonauto and U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren.

Celebration at the State House - Jessica Mullen, left, and Alia Sullivan, right, celebrate the U.S. Supreme Court's legalization of same-sex marriage with a kiss in front of the Massachusetts State House on Friday evening.

Celebration - Bill Gabovitch, a member of Jewish LGBT advocacy group Keshet, holds a sign reading "Say I Do For All" at the celebration of the U.S. Supreme Court's same-sex marriage ruling outside the Massachusetts State House on Friday.

Celebrating Same-Sex Marriage - Same-sex marriage supporters celebrate the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark decision outside the Massachusetts State House on Friday.

Pride - Adam Sutton, front and left, and Edwin Ortiz, front and right, embrace in front of the Massachusetts State House on Friday.

Sister - Sister KrisTall Mighty of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence shows support for the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark ruling legalizing same-sex marriage outside the Massachusetts State House. The Sisters are a charity and street performance group that uses religious imagery and drag to raise awareness of issues of gender and morality.

David Olvera-Sanchez ’18, who was at a briefing for congressional LGBT bullying legislation when the verdict was announced, echoed Healey’s sentiment, saying that the decision was a cause to celebrate, but also a reminder of the work still needed.

—Staff writer Jalin P. Cunningham can be reached at jalincunningham@college.harvard.edu. Follow her on Twitter @JalinCunningham.

—Staff writer Melanie Y. Fu can be reached at melanie.fu@thecrimson.com. Follow her on Twitter @MelanieYFu.