Love Wins: 10 Years of Obergefell v. Hodges - PART 2

Pantsuits and Lawsuits with Attorneys General Kris Mayes and Dana Nessel

A decade ago, two Michigan nurses embarked on a journey that would transform American history – not in hopes of a constitutional revolution, but because they wanted to protect their children.
April DeBoer and Jayne Rowse had been together for 18 years when they first approached attorney Dana Nessel about a seemingly simple problem. As Michigan foster parents raising three children, they faced a legal paradox: the state trusted them to foster children together but prohibited them from jointly adopting. Each parent could only legally adopt specific children, creating a precarious situation where neither had legal rights to all their children.
After surviving a near-fatal car accident, the reality hit them hard – if something happened to either mother, their family could be torn apart by the legal system they trusted to protect them. What began as an adoption rights case unexpectedly pivoted when a federal judge suggested they challenge Michigan's marriage ban instead. This fateful turn transformed their personal struggle into what would become the landmark Supreme Court case legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide.
April and Jayne invite listeners into the emotional Supreme Court experience – from the sea of supporters outside, to the confusing oral arguments where Justice Kennedy's position remained unclear, to the euphoric moment when they learned they'd won. With remarkable candor, they share how they balanced raising five children while becoming reluctant civil rights pioneers, and how they found courage in looking at "those tiny faces" they were fighting to protect.
As we mark ten years since Obergefell, their story offers both inspiration and warning. While reflecting on how quickly attitudes have changed, these accidental figureheads also express concern about how easily these LGBTQ rights and protections could disappear. Their powerful testimony reminds us that behind every landmark legal decision are real families with everything at stake – and that ordinary citizens stepping up for their children can indeed change history.

Chapters

1. Introducing the Pride Month Retrospective (00:00:00)

2. April and Jane's Journey to Family (00:07:42)

3. From Adoption Case to Marriage Case (00:12:26)

4. The Supreme Court Experience (00:18:11)

5. The Decision Day and Celebration (00:22:26)

6. Legacy and Future Concerns (00:28:57)