Tears and sniffles in courtroom as gay marriage ruling read

Colleen Craig of Youngstown, Ohio, left, who is bisexual and Elaine Cleary, of Chicago, who is gay, react with tears as they hear the news outside of the Supreme Court in Washington, Friday June 26, 2015, that the court declared that same-sex couples have a right to marry anywhere in the US.

AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

Colleen Craig of Youngstown, Ohio, left, who is bisexual and Elaine Cleary, of Chicago, who is gay, react with tears as they hear the news outside of the Supreme Court in Washington, Friday June 26, 2015, that the court declared that same-sex couples have a right to marry anywhere in the US.

JESSICA GRESKO, Associated Press
June 26, 2015

WASHINGTON  — When Justice Anthony Kennedy took the bench Friday at the Supreme Court, some were thinking about his past decisions and other June 26ths.

A dozen years ago, on June 26, 2003, Kennedy announced the court’s decision in Lawrence v. Texas, which struck down state laws that made engaging in gay sex a crime. On June 26, 2013, Kennedy read the decision in United States v. Windsor, the decision that gave federal benefits to legally married same-sex couples.

On Friday, the 78-year-old justice gave gay activists and couples another reason to celebrate that date, declaring same-sex couples have the right to marry anywhere in the country.

Inside the courtroom, some in the audience cried silently and wiped away tears. Low sniffles could be heard, and some grabbed their seatmates’ hands.