Before Love Won: The Fight for Marriage Equality in South Carolina
- James Agens
- 15 hours ago
- 2 min read
In November 2014, couples gathered outside county probate courts across South Carolina.
Some had been together for decades.Some had waited patiently.Some never thought they would see the day.
When marriage licenses were finally issued, there were tears. There were embraces. There were ceremonies held on courthouse steps.
Love had won.
But that moment didn’t happen by accident.
A State Where Love Was Written Out of the Law
For years, South Carolina law explicitly banned same-sex marriage. In 1996, state statute declared same-sex marriages invalid.
In 2006, voters approved a constitutional amendment defining marriage exclusively as between one man and one woman — and prohibiting recognition of any similar union.
LGBTQ+ couples were told clearly and formally: your love is not recognized here.
SC Equality and community advocates fought that amendment. We organized. We educated.
We pushed back. Even when legislative efforts — including early civil union proposals — stalled, the work continued.
The fight did not stop.
The Turning Point
In 2014, federal courts began striking down marriage bans across the country. When the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that similar bans were unconstitutional, it set the stage for change in South Carolina. Couples stepped forward.
Among them were Colleen Condon and Nichols Bleckley, who challenged South Carolina’s marriage ban in federal court. After legal filings, delays, and last-minute attempts to block progress, U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel ruled that South Carolina’s ban was unconstitutional.
On November 19 and 20, 2014, same-sex couples began receiving marriage licenses in South Carolina.
For the first time, their marriages were not symbolic — they were legal.
SC Equality’s Role in the Fight
Before there were wedding ceremonies, there were years of advocacy.
SC Equality opposed the 2006 constitutional amendment.We supported legislative efforts to expand relationship recognition.We stood alongside couples demanding dignity under the law.We worked in coalition with national partners and local advocates to ensure South Carolina would not be left behind.
Marriage equality was not handed to us. It was fought for.
Why This History Still Matters
Today, marriage equality remains the law of the land. But the broader fight for LGBTQ+ equality continues.
Across the country — and here at home — we see renewed efforts to undermine LGBTQ+ rights, from healthcare access to family protections.
History reminds us of something powerful:
Progress is possible. But it requires vigilance.
Love Stories That Made History
Over the next few days, we’ll be sharing stories from couples whose lives were forever changed in 2014.
Their stories are reminders that equality is not abstract.
It’s personal.
It’s about families.
It’s about love.
And this Valentine’s Day, as we celebrate those victories, we recommit ourselves to protecting the love we fought so hard to secure.
Because love wins.
And together, we make sure it keeps winning.
Learn more about how love has changed our communities, our advocacy, and our selves!
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