Jun 26, 2015 3 min read

For young newlyweds, the possibilities of a future together can seem endless.

But for same-sex couples, that future was limited to 36 states until a U.S. Supreme Court ruling Friday extended same-sex marriage nationwide.

Trinity graduate Keith Winkelman said the ruling enables him to move closer to his husband’s family in Tennessee.

“It was kind of a big deal. We had toyed with the idea of sometime moving down that way, but if we did we wouldn’t be recognized,” Winkelman said.

Winkelman graduated from Trinity in 2007, joined the Army and moved to Baltimore. He was honorably discharged after seven years of service and married Joey Winkelman in Annapolis, Md., April 4.

He and his husband shared a dream to someday settle down on their own plot of land, far from the city, and have a quiet life together.

Winkelman spoke to the Observer-Reporter in 2013 when Supreme Court justices considered whether to strike down the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, which defined marriage as between a man and a woman.

“I remember saying at that time, ‘The ball started rolling,'” he said. “It became a front-page issue. People had to look at it when they didn’t want to before.”

He hopes the momentum will continue until gay rights extend to workplace discrimination and transgender rights.

“In a lot of states, you can be fired for being gay, just outright,” he said. “I think a lot of things will be soon to follow.”

Washington County Gay Straight Alliance Chairwoman Kathy Cameron compared Friday’s decision to the 1967 Supreme Court ruling legalizing interracial marriage. She said while interracial marriage was controversial at the time, it is now hard to imagine a time when it was illegal.

She expects tht the cultural perceptions will follow similarly with gay marriage.

“It may take time with some people, but we’ll get there,” she said. “As more people are able to be married and come out, people will understand that people are just in love and want to commit to each other, and just want to be a family like everybody else.”

She said she was “on pins and needles” waiting for the decision, hoping she wouldn’t have to wait until Monday. She had a text alert set to notify her of the ruling. After that came through, her phone did not stay quiet for the rest of the afternoon.

“My phone is binging off with all my text messages coming in,” she said. “It’s a great day.”