IT'S BEEN TEN YEARS since same-sex marriage became legal across all 50 states, and the current state of play for LGBTQ+ people in the U.S. is vastly different than many queer people anticipated. With trans rights getting rolled back and recent news that the Federal Government intends to defund life-saving suicide hotline services for LGBTQ+ youth, the freedoms queer and trans Americans have fought for feel incredibly fragile. Among many potential rights on the chopping block: same-sex marriage.
Considering the slight decline in overall acceptance of Obergefell v. Hodges (the landmark 2015 case that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide), the Supreme Court’s Conservative majority, and the fact that nine U.S. states have also introduced measures to reverse the Obergefell decision—the landscape is shifting in ways that are alarming to the queer community.
“We've seen many couples choosing to accelerate their timelines."
With the rise in anti-LGBTQ+ legislation and rhetoric, the queer community isn’t just hoping things will decelerate over the next four years—and they’re certainly not waiting around for the worst to happen, especially in regards to their legal right to wed. In fact, just weeks after President Trump won the 2024 US election, same-sex couples rushed to get married in cities across the country.
“We've seen many couples choosing to accelerate their timelines,” says Brittny Drye, wedding expert and Editor-in-Chief of equality-minded wedding magazine Love Inc. “They want the protections that marriage provides—hospital visitation rights, next-of-kin status, inheritance protections—particularly in case those rights come under threat again.”
Many wedding professionals are also taking note of the urgency. Liv Dellanno, an ordained minister who has helped LGBTQ+ couples tie the knot, has seen how swiftly same-sex couples are moving to get married post-Trump election. “I just officiated an elopement for a queer couple last month, who have a big wedding set for later this year, but opted for a private ceremony in their home with their dog to ensure their bases were covered legally.” This is a trend Drye also noted: Many couples are going to the courthouse to get legally wed as soon as possible, then having their full wedding experience in a more typical timeline.
“What we’re seeing isn’t necessarily new bigotry; it's that the gloves have come off.”
It’s also worth noting that the current administration’s prejudice against the LGBTQ+ community impacts more than just potential policy—it also emboldens people to show their true colors. “Some families that might have stayed quiet or avoided confrontation in the past now feel justified in rejecting their LGBTQ+ children because they believe the political climate validates that stance,” says Daniel Blevins, an LGBTQ+ advocate and activist. “What we’re seeing isn’t necessarily new bigotry; it's that the gloves have come off.”
This means that many queer people are facing ostracization from family members after deciding to marry the person they love, and their support system dwindles as a result. The unfortunate (but all too common) phenomenon is precisely why Blevins established the nonprofit organization Stand In Pride, which has a mission to ensure that LGBTQ+ people never lose out on having family. With 240,000 members worldwide, it’s a space to find a chosen family either digitally or in person—and the group is known for standing alongside LGBTQ+ folk on their wedding day when their biological family refuses to attend.
With the current political landscape, there has been a surge in demand for Stand In Pride’s services. “We’ve definitely seen an increase, not just in the number of people requesting stand-ins for weddings, but in the urgency behind those requests,” Blevins says.
“There is a very real threat of same-sex marriage being overturned."
Trans people, in particular, have been in Trump’s cross hairs since his first term, and his Executive Order targeting “gender ideology” confirmed his desire to legislate against transgender Americans. “Trans individuals have always faced disproportionate rejection and danger, but in the last year, we’ve seen a marked rise in outreach from trans people, especially youth and those in rural areas. The tone is different too. There’s more fear, more urgency, and a deeper sense of isolation,” says Blevins.
Aside from just weddings, the impact of the anti-trans legislation across the country has made day-to-day life unmanageable for trans people of all ages. “Many are reaching out not just for support at events, but for day-to-day survival people asking for emotional support, housing resources, even help navigating gender-affirming care as laws tighten. It’s heartbreaking, but it’s also why Stand In Pride is evolving beyond just milestone moments; we're becoming a lifeline for those caught in the crosshairs of policy and prejudice.”
The future isn’t set in stone, and “there is a very real threat of same-sex marriage being overturned, as Justice Thomas has explicitly shared the Court ‘should reconsider’ Obergefell to have it returned to the states,” Dellanono says.
Still, as LGBTQ+ Americans continue to navigate new hurdles and attempts by the administration to diminish the community spirit, the efforts of advocates like Dellanno, Blevins, and Stand In Pride's army of volunteers are a ray of resilient light. Their simple and consistent acts of kindness serve as a deeply important reminder that no matter how we identify, intergenerational support is integral to our communities' infrastructure. Why? Because generations of LGBTQ+ people have been here before, and we need collective strength to continue the fight.
