The day I began writing Chapter 23, ‘Meet the Rossi’s’, was June 26th, 2015, the day the United States Supreme Court declared same sex marriage to be civil right and ruled it legal nationwide in deference to the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution. It was really hard to work on that chapter that day given the effect of the ruling and on my own marriage of 4 ½ years and those of several friends near me in Ohio which, up until that day, the state of Ohio refused to recognize.
In the days after the ruling, I came back to the chapter and the ones that follow it and I debated continuing with them as is or somehow reworking the story of Dana and Mel to bring it forward a year and allow them to marry with Kris and Lance as equals. Ultimately, I decided to let their story be their story. It mirrors the struggle so many of us faced for years to marry, to have legal standing, to have our commitments validated and to be equal.
I appreciate the efforts of HRC, Freedom to Marry, Equality Ohio, Jim Obergefell, and all of the other plaintiffs on the landmark case and also of all of those who have gone before me and all of those named to make the dream a reality.
Congratulations to everyone!