http://cptv.vo.llnwd.net/o2/ypmwebcontent/Tucker/ME130627Kerrigan.mp3
Advocates of same-sex marriage in Connecticut are celebrating the Supreme Court ruling that strikes down the federal Defense of Marriage Act and California's Proposition 8. Both banned gay marriage.
Beth Kerrigan was the lead plaintiff in the Kerrigan v. The State of Connecticut, a case that struck down a Connecticut law banning same-sex marriage,
Kerrigan says she is "overwhelmed" and "ecstatic" about the ruling.
She says with the Supreme Court ruling, her marriage to Jody Mock means a lot more now, than it did earlier this week.
"Now we can say that when one of us passes away, the other individual now can receive their part of social security," said Kerrigan. "Things like, before if you inherited the house, there would be tax consequences to that. That's not the case now because we're married. So, all these tax benefits that straight couples receive, we will now receive."
But Kerrigan says the fight for marriage equality is far from over.
"You take one step forward, and you take another step forward, and a couple times you slide back a little bit but the big mission is so that everyone is treated equally."
