Emmy-winning Young and the Restless soap star Greg Rikaart (Kevin Fisher) came out of the closet. Since the Supreme Court’s decision to rule that married same-sex couples are entitled to Federal benefits and that same-sex marriages are now legal in California. He sent out a tweet and photo to fans that officially confirms he’s gay.
“Not getting married anytime soon, but celebrating #equality tonight nonetheless,” the New York native wrote to go along with a picture of himself with his beau.
Rikaart later told TV Guide: “I am proud to stand up and be an advocate for LGBT rights. This is the last hurdle of the civil rights movement. I’m glad this is such a hot-button issue. I’m glad people are so impassioned about it, even the people who are against equality for all Americans because they are reacting out of fear, fear that the LGBT community is winning.”
The Supreme Court issued two rulings on the ongoing debate over same-sex marriage. In a victory for gay rights activists, the Supreme Court extended benefits to legally married gay couples, but did not rule on the constitutionality of California’s ban on same-sex marriage. In the first case of United States v. Windsor, the court found that the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), was unconstitutional because it violated the right to equal protection under the law.
In a split decision broken by the moderate Justice Anthony Kennedy, the Supreme Court said that DOMA “singles out a class of persons deemed by a State entitled to recognition and protection to enhance their own liberty.”
The Constitution declares that no state “shall deny any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the law.” In other words, states must apply the law equally to all citizens.
This means that benefits previously reserved only for straight couple marriages under national law, will now be extended to same-sex couples as well. The law appears to have given Americans the courage to speak up and speak out on their beliefs. What do you think about the law? How do you feel about the Supreme Court decision? What do you think of the star sharing his story?
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