It is the hope of every social change organization that someday their work will negate their necessity. That seems to be the case with Evan Wolfson’s marriage equality organization, Freedom to Marry. In an interview with theHuffington Poston Wednesday, Wolfson stated his hope that the U.S. Supreme Court would pass a ruling on a constitutional right to marry. The Supreme Court will begin hearing four cases on April 28th, and by late June we are expected to receive a decision on federal gay marriage.
If that decision is a positive one, Wolfson told the Huffington Post that Freedom to Marry will shut down. In the interview he says this with conviction: "Assuming we do win the long-sought, hard-fought victory in June, Freedom to Marry -- this campaign -- will have achieved its mission, and we will end the campaign. We will close down."
Of course, the organization won’t close down immediately—there will still be work to be done after a federal ruling. States are already trying to avoid legalization with freedom of religion bills and there will have to be someone working to convince them to provide same-sex marriage licenses and hold them accountable. There will also be the task of celebrating and documenting this long battle—but all of that is estimated to be wrapped up in about a year.
Wolfson has not yet figured out what will happen after Freedom to Marry’s closing. In an interview with the Washington Blade, he said, “though I am asked constantly what’s next, I am not giving it any real thought, let alone exploring what’s out there, until after we — knock on wood — win in June.”
Marriage equality is by no means the final frontier of the LGBTQ rights movement, but it is a monumental step. The adjournment of Freedom to Marry will symbolize a victory, but hopefully its employees, expertise, and resources will continue to go towards fighting the good fight.
