Jim Obergefell and John Arthur married on a medical jet in 2013. Upon touching down in Maryland, the Ohio couple could legally marry before Arthur succumbed to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, months later.
But by Ohio law, Obergefell would not be listed on Arthur's death certificate as his spouse. The resulting lawsuit would lead to the Supreme Court decision that legalized marriage for gay couples. Obergefell, the lead plaintiff in this case, joins River to River host Ben Kieffer to discuss his part in the landmark decision and his continued advocacy for LGBTQ rights following the case.
Later, Kieffer speaks with IPR education reporter Grant Gerlock about recent legislation that would direct K-12 schools to add lessons on gun safety and Studio One host Mark Simmet helps listeners groove into the weekend with tracks from Beck and Django Django.
Guests:
- Jim Obergefell, American civil rights advocate, lead plaintiff Obergefell V. Hodges
- Grant Gerlock, education reporter, Iowa Public Radio
- Mark Simmet, Studio One host, Iowa Public Radio
