Tension grows as US Supreme Court fails to rule on gay marriage
Protesters for and against marriage equality outside the Supreme Court in April (Pic: HRC / Twitter)
The LGBT community in the US remains on tenterhooks after the Supreme Court failed to issue an eagerly anticipated ruling on same-sex marriage today.
The ruling had been expected this morning but the court instead focused on other cases, including a dispute over royalty payments related to a Spider-Man toy.
The next earliest date that the court could issue its verdict on same-sex marriage, and on six other outstanding matters, is on Thursday, or on Monday June 29 at the latest.
In April, the court’s justices heard arguments on two questions: If the US Constitution compels states to allow same-sex couples to marry and if states must recognise same-sex marriages legally licensed in other states.
The court is widely expected to rule in favour of same-sex marriage, which would finally legalise marriage equality across the US.
Presidential candidate Jeb Bush has vowed to fight against marriage equality no matter the Supreme Court’s decision.
He said he supported the right of “people of faith” to “take a stand for traditional marriage.”
Gay and lesbian couples can currently marry in 37 US states. A 2014 Washington Post poll found that 59% of Americans support the right to marry for same-sex couples.
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