Jun 26, 2025 - News
Same-sex marriage in Ohio would be banned without Obergefell
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Ohio is one of 32 U.S. states with trigger laws that would limit marriage equality if the Supreme Court ever overturns its 2015 legalization of gay marriage.
By the numbers: About 60% of LGBTQ+ adults live in those states and would be affected, according to the Movement Advancement Project.
Context: Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas in 2022, while overturning Roe v. Wade, said the court "should reconsider" its opinions protecting same-sex relationships and same-sex marriage.
- Lawmakers have also introduced measures seeking to reverse the Obergefell decision in a handful of other states.
The fine print: Ohio Revised Code states: "A marriage may only be entered into by one man and one woman."
- The Ohio Constitution defines marriage as "a union between one man and one woman."
Go deeper: Where same-sex marriage would be banned without Obergefell