At 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time this morning, the Supreme Court of the United States declared same-sex marriage bans unconstitutional. Marriage equality advocates hailed the decision as a victory for the nation, while opponents described the ruling as a misapplication of judicial power.
Regardless of your stance on the matter, today's decision was a watershed moment in American history. Part of that history was forged here in East Tennessee. Plaintiffs Val Tanco and Sophy Jesty were one of the couples that challenged Tennessee's same-sex marriage ban.
Just a few hours after the ruling was handed down, Jesty, Tanco and their attorney Regina Lambert spoke with WUOT All Things Considered host Brandon Hollingsworth about their personal reactions to the decision and what it means for them.
Later in the day, Brandon spoke with UT College of Law professor Wendy Bach. She provided some legal analysis of the ruling and explained its effects on Tennessee.
Hear the October 2014 edition of WUOT's Dialogue, featuring Tanco, Jesty and Lambert