Could the Supreme Court Overturn Marriage Equality? w/ Brandon Wolf
Summary
Chief Justice John Roberts has only ever read one dissent from the bench—and it was his scathing take on the decision that brought marriage equality to the United States: Obergefell v. Hodges. In this episode, host Andrew Seidel revisits that landmark case and explores an unsettling question: Could the current Supreme Court overturn marriage equality?
With a sharply conservative bench and Christian nationalist legal groups working behind the scenes, this possibility is more real than many would like to admit.
To unpack this complex legal landscape, Andrew is joined by Brandon Wolf, LGBTQ+ advocate, Pulse nightclub survivor, and author of A Place for Us. Together, they dive into:
- The history and impact of Obergefell v. Hodges
- Where the conservative justices currently stand on LGBTQ+ rights
- The rise of religious legal groups like Liberty Counsel
- State-level efforts to undermine marriage equality
- What a possible challenge to Obergefell might look like—and how soon it could come
While this episode doesn’t aim to cause panic, it does offer a clear-eyed look at the threats we’re facing—and how to fight back.
Meet The Guest
Brandon Wolf
Brandon Wolf is a nationally-recognized civil rights and gun safety advocate, and a bestselling author. He currently serves as National Press Secretary for the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest LGBTQ+ civil rights organization.
On June 12, life changed for Brandon. He crouched in a bathroom while a gunman opened fire at Orlando’s Pulse Nightclub, killing his best friends, Drew Leinonen & Juan Guerrero, and 47 others. Rather than be swallowed by the anger and fear of tragedy, Brandon set out to honor the victims’ legacies with action.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, Brandon co-founded The Dru Project, an organization that empowers youth and provides future leaders with funding for higher education. To date, The Dru Project has awarded over $250,000 in college scholarships to rising leaders. In 2019, Brandon became the first survivor of the tragedy at Pulse Nightclub to testify before Congress and went on to serve as a national surrogate for multiple presidential campaigns.
A powerful public speaker, Brandon Wolf is a frequent guest on MSNBC, CNN, and in print publications (CNN.com, USA Today, Newsweek, Teen Vogue, Washington Post, The Advocate, Out Magazine) weaving personal stories into calls to action. He was recognized by HuffPost as one of “30 modern-day LGBTQ pioneers” and was on Out Magazine’s list of the 100 most influential LGBTQ+ people in the world.
In all things, Brandon is driven by the reminder that we are obligated to honor those we’ve lost not with empty words or hollow platitudes - but with action.
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