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AG Nessel Celebrates Pride Month, Obergefell Anniversary at White House

WASHINGTON DC – This afternoon, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel celebrated Pride Month at the White House. This year's event was hosted on the ninth anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's Obergefell decision.

"I’m proud to celebrate today’s momentous anniversary at the White House alongside our nation’s leaders. In the nine years since the Supreme Court decision in Obergefell legalized same-sex marriage nationwide, we have been hard at work and I’m happy to join First Lady Jill Biden and many others this year in DC to reaffirm the promise of Obergefell nearly a decade since its passage," said Nessel.

“However, there is not a day that goes by in which I take this victory for granted. These rights hinge on a Supreme Court which has shown interest in reconsidering Obergefell, akin to their ruling which overturned Roe just two years ago. I remain committed to this work and know that the majority of Americans are with me. Together, our tireless defense of expression, equality, and love will continue to uplift and inspire our work to protect all residents equally."

Prior to being elected, Nessel was lead attorney for the plaintiffs in DeBoer v. Snyder, a precursor to the landmark ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, which codified same-sex marriage and granted adoption rights to same-sex couples nationwide. AG Nessel also helped found the Fair Michigan Justice Project: a collaborative initiative between public and private attorneys to investigate and prosecute capital crimes perpetrated against members of the LGBTQ community.

AG Nessel has also worked hard to safeguard residents’ equitable enjoyment of employment, education, housing, public accommodation, etc. She personally argued Rouch World LLC et al v Michigan Department of Civil Rights et al before the Michigan Supreme Court in March 2022, securing a reinterpretation of the state’s Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act, protecting against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity before the legislature codified those protections into law in 2023.

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Attorney General Dana Nessel and her wife Alanna Maguire, at the White House Pride Celebration.

Attorney General Dana Nessel and her wife Alanna Maguire, at the White House Pride Celebration.

 

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