Thursday marks 10 years since same-sex marriage was legalize across the country

BENTON HARBOR, Mich. -- ABC57's Giselle Valentin spoke with leaders of the OutCenter of Southwest Michigan for the 10th anniversary of the Supreme Court legalizing same-sex marriage across the country.

"It was a day of affirmation, a moment that recognized LGBTQ+'s relationships, lives and saw them as equal citizens under law and the constitution," stated by the OutCenter of Southwest Michigan.

The decision of Obergefell V. Hodges legalized same-sex marriage in all 50 states. At the time of the ruling, just under 400,000 same-sex couples were married in the U.S. since then that numbered has doubled to 820,000.

“That was important and memorable to me. So even if, say, My church or my friends wasn't supporting LGBT folks, to see SCOTUS doing so I remember that specifically as thinking maybe that was a turning point for the United States, " said Willow Sipling, Director of Engagement & Ops at the OutCenter of Southwest Michigan.

“There were all of these allies that came by, and they were crying too, because they have family members that might not live in the area, but they wanted to celebrate with the community that their relatives are a part of. It was just really quite something. I'll never, ever forget it," said Mary Jo Schnell, Executive Director of the OutCenter of Southwest Michigan.

For more information on the OutCenter of Southwest Michigan can be found online.