While much of the focus on the upcoming Supreme Court’s review of Same-sex Marriage cases has focused on the Court’s hearing of the Repeal of California’s Prop 8, a law that banned same-sex that case is important,but the marriage after it was already lawful in that state. However, it is the other case before SCOTUS, that is likely to impact same-sex couples in Pennsylvania the most. In that case, Windsor v CCCC, the Court is likely to rule on the constitutionality of a part of DOMA, the Federal law that inhibits the government from recognizing legal the marriages of same- sex couples.

The linked post describes the impact of DOMA on the military, which abandoned the policy of DADT in 2011.

She explained that gay and lesbian military members and families don’t receive the military benefits that they have earned through their military service, such as housing, health care, and next of kin notification and support. Robinson said that a large portion of a military member’s compensation is made up of these benefits, and restricting access to them has harmed families. Each year, gay and lesbian military members spend over $5000 more in out of pocket expenses than their straight counterparts.

Staff Sgt. Tracy Dice Johnson is one of those members. She met her wife six years ago, both as actively military members. After “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” was repealed, the two were married in Washington, DC, where marriage equality is legal. When her wife was killed in Afghanistan, Johnson was not informed. Instead, she was told by members of her wife’s family that representatives of the military had visited and informed them.

“Usually widowed spouses are notified of death, provided counseling, able to greet the casket as it arrives on American soil, and presented the flag that drapes the casket,” Johnson said. “I received none of that.” Because of DOMA, she was rendered invisible by the military.

So often same-sex marriage is described in terms of the right to say,  “I Do,” and opponents describe it as destroying the family. But as Tracy Dice Johnson’s story indicates, it goes much farther than that. Ending the discrimination against legally married same-sex couples creates equality, fairness and dignity for everyone, especially in those moments of the greatest pain and sorrow.

GLAAD asked everyone to take action! Go to United for Marriage to see what you can do.

DOMA has the potential to impact many couples in and out of the military. In the 2008 census, 150,000 same-sex couples reported as being married. And since then, many more states allow couples to legally marry so the number now would be far greater.