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The Labor Party argues that marriage equality must be enshrined in the U.S. Constitution to protect LGBTQIA+ families from political attacks and ensure equal rights for all working people, regardless of who they love.
Today, as the Supreme Court considers whether to hear an appeal that could threaten marriage equality, LGBTQIA+ families across America are once again forced to wonder if their marriages—their families—will be recognized tomorrow. This is unacceptable. This is unjust. And this is precisely why marriage equality must be enshrined in the United States Constitution.
Anthony Lewis and Daniel Simpson took legal precautions after their 2015 wedding, just in case. They shouldn't have had to. No married couple should need a backup plan to protect their family's legal recognition. Yet here we are in 2025, with over 820,000 married same-sex couples watching the Supreme Court decide whether their rights are up for debate again.
These aren't abstractions. We're talking about workers who can't visit their spouses in the hospital, parents who might lose legal rights to their children, families who could face tax nightmares if their marriages suddenly don't count in certain states. We're talking about people who build our cities, teach our children, care for our sick, and keep our economy running—people whose basic dignity hangs in the balance every time the political winds shift.
That's not freedom. That's not justice. And it damn sure isn't equality.
The 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges decision was a monumental victory—one that brought tears of joy to millions of LGBTQIA+ Americans who could finally marry the people they love. But Supreme Court precedent is not constitutional protection. As we learned when Roe v. Wade was overturned, what the Court giveth, the Court can take away.
Right now, former Kentucky clerk Kim Davis—who famously refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples—is asking the Supreme Court to overturn Obergefell entirely. While most legal experts consider this a long shot, the mere fact that we're having this conversation shows how fragile our rights really are.
The threat is real:
The Respect for Marriage Act provides some protection by requiring states to recognize marriages performed elsewhere, but it doesn't prevent states from refusing to issue new licenses. This creates a patchwork system where your marriage might be legal in California but not in Kentucky—affecting everything from taxes to child custody to hospital visitation rights.
Here's the uncomfortable truth: as long as LGBTQIA+ rights rest on Supreme Court decisions and federal legislation, they remain vulnerable to political whims, partisan courts, and well-funded extremist campaigns.
This isn't how fundamental rights should work in a democracy. Your right to love who you love, to marry who you want to marry, to protect your family—these aren't political footballs. These are human rights. And human rights shouldn't depend on which party controls the White House or which justices happen to be sitting on the Court.
The Labor Party recognizes that attacks on LGBTQIA+ rights are part of a broader assault on working people's freedoms. The same forces trying to roll back marriage equality are fighting to weaken unions, restrict voting rights, ban books, and control our bodies. They understand something important: when we're divided by manufactured culture wars, we're not organizing together for economic justice.
Imagine an America where LGBTQIA+ families never have to worry about whether their marriages will be recognized. Where queer workers can focus on organizing for better wages instead of constantly defending their right to exist. Where transgender people can access healthcare without political interference. Where every person, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, has the same constitutional protections as everyone else.
This isn't a dream—it's what justice demands. And it's entirely achievable through a constitutional amendment guaranteeing marriage equality and full LGBTQIA+ rights.
A constitutional amendment would:
The Labor Party believes that LGBTQIA+ rights are human rights, and human rights belong in our Constitution. We call for a constitutional amendment that:
Guarantees the right to marry regardless of the gender of the partners—Making marriage equality permanent and removing any possibility of future court reversals or state-by-state discrimination.
Prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity—Providing the same constitutional protections against discrimination that exist for race, religion, and other protected characteristics.
Ensures full recognition of all legal relationships across state and federal jurisdictions—Eliminating the possibility of a marriage being recognized in one state but not another.
Protects access to gender-affirming healthcare and reproductive freedom—Safeguarding bodily autonomy for all people, including transgender individuals and women.
This isn't radical—it's simply extending the Constitution's promise of equal protection to everyone. The 14th Amendment already says that no state shall "deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws." A marriage equality amendment would make that promise explicit and unambiguous for LGBTQIA+ Americans.
Some might ask: why is a labor party talking about marriage equality? The answer is simple: workers' rights and civil rights are inseparable.
When LGBTQIA+ workers face discrimination, they can't organize effectively for better wages and conditions. When queer families lack legal recognition, they miss out on healthcare benefits, tax breaks, and economic security. When transgender workers are denied their basic dignity, workplace solidarity suffers.
Moreover, attacks on LGBTQIA+ rights serve as test balloons for broader assaults on our freedoms. The same legal theories being used to question marriage equality could be turned against union rights, voting access, or any other protection not explicitly spelled out in the Constitution. If we allow fundamental rights to be stripped away from some Americans, none of our rights are safe.
The Labor Party stands with all working people—including and especially LGBTQIA+ workers—because an injury to one is an injury to all.
Consider the practical implications:
When we protect marriage equality, we're protecting workers' economic security. When we guarantee LGBTQIA+ rights, we're strengthening the entire labor movement.
The good news is that the American people are with us. Nearly 70% of Americans support marriage equality—a dramatic shift from just 30 years ago when the same percentage opposed it. This isn't a fringe position. It's the mainstream view.
But popular support isn't enough. We need to transform that support into constitutional protection. Here's how:
In the immediate term:
For permanent protection:
The path to a constitutional amendment is long—it requires two-thirds of Congress and three-fourths of state legislatures—but it's not impossible. Previous amendments ending slavery, granting women's suffrage, and lowering the voting age all seemed impossible until organized movements made them inevitable.
To every LGBTQIA+ person reading this: we see you. We stand with you. And we refuse to accept a world where your right to love, marry, and exist freely depends on the outcome of court cases and elections.
Your relationships are just as valid as anyone else's. Your families deserve the same protections. Your dignity is not negotiable.
To our straight allies: this fight needs you. Marriage equality isn't a "gay issue"—it's a freedom issue, a justice issue, a worker issue. When the powerful try to divide us by attacking vulnerable communities, solidarity is our strongest weapon.
To everyone exhausted by these constant battles: we understand. It's infuriating that we have to keep fighting for basic equality in 2025. But giving up isn't an option, because too much is at stake.
Marriage equality should not depend on the composition of the Supreme Court. It should not vary by state. It should not be subject to the political ambitions of extremists like Kim Davis or the policy whims of elected officials.
Love is love. Families are families. And rights are rights.
The Labor Party believes in an America where every worker has dignity, every family has security, and every person has equal protection under the law—not as a political favor, but as a constitutional guarantee. We believe LGBTQIA+ rights must be enshrined in our Constitution because justice delayed is justice denied, and temporary victories are not enough.
This isn't just about marriage certificates. It's about whether America will live up to its promise of equal justice under law. It's about whether we'll let our rights be eroded one court decision at a time, or whether we'll fight to expand and protect them for generations to come.
The Labor Party chooses to fight.
We call on Congress to immediately introduce and pass a constitutional amendment guaranteeing marriage equality and full LGBTQIA+ rights. We call on state legislatures to ratify such an amendment. And we call on every American who believes in justice to join us in demanding permanent constitutional protection for all families.
Because in the end, we're all working people trying to build good lives with the people we love. That's not a special right. It's a human right. And it's time our Constitution recognized it as such.
The Labor Party is building independent political power for all working people—including LGBTQIA+ workers and families. We believe:
🌹 Justice – Full equality under the law, period.
🌹 Dignity – Every person deserves respect, safety, and legal recognition of their relationships.
🌹 Solidarity – An injury to one is an injury to all. LGBTQIA+ rights are workers' rights.
🌹 Democracy – Fundamental rights should be constitutionally protected, not left to judicial whims.
Ready to build a future where everyone's rights are protected? Visit votelabor.org to join your local chapter, get involved in organizing, or learn more about our platform.
Together, we can win permanent constitutional protection for marriage equality. Together, we can build a movement that protects all working people. Together, we rise.
Power to the Workforce. Your Life. Your Labor. Our Future.
The Labor Party recognizes LGBTQIA+ rights as human rights and commits to codifying federal protections for same-sex marriage and gender identity recognition, outlawing discrimination in housing, healthcare, and employment, expanding access to gender-affirming healthcare, and eliminating bans on trans people in all aspects of public life.
For more information about The Labor Party's comprehensive civil rights platform, visit Platform: Civil Rights & Social Freedoms
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