Two Kentucky men who challenged the state’s ban on same-sex marriage say they’re amazed at the pace of change. Louisville residents Greg Bourke and Michael DeLeon sued the state in 2013 because it wouldn’t recognize their marriage, which took place in Canada.
They’re one of 12 Kentucky couples whose lawsuits eventually led the U.S. Supreme Court to legalize same-sex marriage. Bourke says the right to marry was never something he dreamed of as a young man.
“Now it’s just the opposite," Bourke said. "People are being born and they’re going to be brought up in a Kentucky where it’s perfectly normal and acceptable for same-sex couples to be legally married. That’s a phenomenal thing.”
Bourke and DeLeon say they’re now turning their attention to lobbying on behalf of a statewide fairness law that would protect LGBT individuals from discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations.
