Why Marriage Matters
The freedom to marry is one of America’s most fundamental freedoms — rooted in individual liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Couples marry because they love each other and want to make a lifelong commitment, and because they want their families to be treated with dignity under the law with the legal, economic, and social protections that come with marriage.
Marriage shapes so many aspects of life: celebrating love and commitment, creating family, raising children, caring for one another, and providing stability through every joy and challenge.
In 2025, our nation marked the tenth anniversary of Obergefell v. Hodges, the landmark Supreme Court ruling that affirmed the freedom to marry for same-sex couples nationwide. Since that ruling in 2015, more than one million same-sex couples have legally married and built families rooted in love and security. Nearly 300,000 children are being raised by married same-sex couples.
Marriage equality has strengthened families, deepened community ties, and affirmed values that are deeply woven into our country’s history and traditions. It has brought stability to couples and clarity to families, enabling people to make life’s biggest decisions, from raising children to buying homes to starting businesses, with confidence and peace of mind.
Businesses, governments, and actors across the economy and society rely on marriage to determine family status and operate in line with established rules – in taxation, retirement benefits, insurance coverage, employer-provided healthcare benefits, and government programs.
The freedom to marry was not won overnight. It took decades of courage, storytelling, and conversation. LGBTQ+ people and their allies shared their lives openly and honestly, helping friends, families, and neighbors see that love and commitment are universal. Through these conversations, millions of Americans came to understand that marriage equality reflects a simple truth – the Golden Rule: we should treat others as we would want to be treated.
Those conversations changed hearts and minds, and they helped change the law and bring our country closer to the ideals of liberty and justice for all. They built a stronger, more compassionate nation grounded in respect, fairness, and shared humanity.
Why Marriage Matters continues that work today: sharing stories, research, and data that show how marriage equality strengthens families, communities, and society at large.