Maureen Holland, Ijpe DeKoe, Thom Kostura
Advocates of marriage equality will gather at the Memphis Gay & Lesbian Community Center (892 S. Cooper) Monday evening at 5:30 p.m. for a rally kicking off the marriage equality case before the U.S. Supreme Court. The nation’s high court will begin hearing oral arguments in the case on Tuesday, April 28th.
Memphians Ijpe DeKoe and Thom Kostura are plantiffs in the case, and they’re represented by local attorney Maureen Holland. They flew to Washington D.C. last week to prepare for oral arguments. The Tennessee case is lumped with same-sex marriage cases from Ohio, Kentucky, and Michigan, all of which are on appeal after the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld marriage bans in the four states last year.
The Sixth Circuit’s decision was a split from other appellate courts, the rest of which have ruled to overturn marriage bans. Marriage equality advocates believe the Supreme Court’s decision in this case will decide the fate of marriage in the country.
Monday’s rally, hosted by the Tennessee Equality Project, will feature a performance by the Neshoba Unitarian Universalist show choir. Attendees are encouraged to bring signs and posters showing support for equality.
