The United States Supreme Court ruled in favor of Same-sex couples again two years after they allowed such couples to legally get married all over the country. This time, they have ruled in favor of same-sex couples to list their names for their Children’s Birth Certificates despite their gender.
In the latest decision, which was a 6-3 vote from the justices, they said that same-sex couples are also entitled to the many benefits that the states offer for straight couples.
Arkansas law questioned by same-sex couples
The Supreme Court decision came after two female same-sex couples in Arkansas challenged the state law.
The law stated that when a gay married couple welcomes a child, the name of the biological mother is the only information listed on the birth certificate and not the other same-sex spouse. The Supreme Court then contended that for straight couples, the name of the husband is also written on the birth certificate even if the child was from artificial insemination.
The argument was brought about after the health officials in the state did not want to place the non-biological spouse’s name on the baby’s birth certificate. Before the case was heard in the Supreme Court, Douglas Hallward-Driemeier, one of the lawyers who worked on the same-sex marriage case that was decided on by the justices two years ago, said that if the Arkansas law will remain in place, it would take these couples back to the inequality that same-sex couples and their families suffered from when they were not yet allowed to get married in the state legally.
After this U.S. Supreme Court ruling, it is possible that another matter will be heard by them. Many reports claim that another matter possibly set to be raised in the Supreme Court pertains to married straight couples favored over gay couples when it comes to adoptions.
Arkansas officials fire back
The state, on the other hand, pointed out that the two female couples already won a lower court ruling so the case should not have reached the U.S.
Supreme Court. The state officials said the two female same-sex couples did receive birth certificates for their newborn babies that listed both the spouses as the parents of the child.
Meanwhile, at the Arizona Supreme Court, they are set to have a hearing over the rights of the non-biological parent when same-sex couples get divorced. This is because parenthood is one of the major factors being looked at when discussing custody and visitation rights.
