History Department Thomas S. Berry Lecture: For Love & Money

For Love and Money: The Economic History of Marriage Equality

Join the Department of History for a lecture titled "For Love and Money: The Economic History of Marriage Equality" by Marie-Amélie George, professor of law at Wake Forest University. 

In 2015, members of the LGBTQ+ community rejoiced when the Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution protected the right of same-sex couples to marry. Many of the celebrants on the court steps held signs that read "Love Is Love," which reflected the movement's argument that marriage rights were meant to respect and support the emotional bonds between devoted partners. But although the campaign for marriage equality was about love, it was also about money. Same-sex couples' inability to marry imposed significant financial harms on queer households. This lecture highlights the overlooked fights for economic equality that predated the movement for marriage rights, revealing how these battles ultimately helped produce the Supreme Court's historic decision recognizing same-sex marriage. 

Please note: invite-only dinner starts at 7 p.m. in the Jepspon Faculty Lounge, Jepson Hall.