Government and Politics

Idaho's Gay Rights Shift

As gay Idahoans entered 2015 with the legal right to marry they also brace for that right to be undermined at the nation's highest court. Meanwhile LGBTQ people sought the Idaho legislature's protection from discrimination. The so-called "add the words" movement did not win at the state level, but a larger legal victory sealed the right for all Idahoans--and all Americans--to marry in 2015. LGBTQ people and their supporters prepared to capitalize on that victory in Idaho in 2016.

Supreme Court Gay Marriage Cases Will Decide Idaho

NWNews

Published January 16, 2015 at 4:43 PM PST

The U.S. Supreme Court Friday agreed to take up cases challenging gay marriage bans in Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee and Kentucky.

Idaho’s petition to reinstate its gay marriage ban was not included.

But the state Attorney General Lawrence Wasden said the Supreme Court decision will affect Idaho.

“The court will make a determination of whether states have the ability to define marriage as between a man and a woman, or whether they don’t have that authority based upon the equal protection provisions of the United States Constitution,” Wasden said. “That’s essentially where the argument is going to go. So the outcome of there will have impact in Idaho; will have impact in all of the 50 states.”

The justices will consider two issues: first, whether all states must issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples and second, whether states must recognize licenses other states have issued.