By Johanna Kaiser, Development & Communications Associate

Today’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling for marriage equality was a triumphant accomplishment for the families who went before the Supreme Court of the United States to defend their rights, the thousands of loving and devoted couples who can now marry, and for the fundamental principles of freedom and equality.

The ACLU has been fighting for full equality for LGBT individuals for more than 50 years. In fact, the ACLU, in 1970 in Minnesota, brought the first federal freedom-to-marry lawsuit for same-sex couples. In the years since, our national office and affiliates across the country have defended and strengthened LGBT rights through legal action and advocacy.  (You can read a bit about the ACLU’s national work here and the ACLU of Rhode Island’s work here.)

We celebrate today’s landmark decision, thank the ACLU clients who bravely stood up for their rights, and thank you for your support of love and equality. But, as we’ve said before, there are still myriad issues facing the LGBT community. We hope you’ll stand with us in our continued fight for equality.