Members of Wichita LGBTQ community share perspective on Supreme Court ruling

WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) - Following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade, Justice Clarence Thomas issued a concurrent opinion, stating the high court should reconsider landmark rulings relating to contraception, same-sex relationships and marriage. Those three cases were Griswold versus Connecticut in 1965, Lawrence versus Texas in 2003 and Obergefell versus Hodges in 2003. In 1965, the Supreme Court decision established the right for married couples to buy and use contraceptives. The 2003 decision established the right for consenting adults to engage in same-sex intimacy and in 2015, the court paved the way for same-sex couples across the country to legally wed.

With the Roe versus Wade ruling and follow-up opinion from Justice Thomas fresh on the minds of many, the Wichita City Pride Festival kicked off Friday night. Some in attendance spoke with Eyewitness News about the judge’s opinion that followed Friday’s ruling.

“Terrifying, our community is scared,” said Jessie Frejadottir. “This is the small domino starting a chain of events that could cause many of use to lose our rights.”

Debbie Wadman said it is “unprogressive to walk backwards.”

“We want to give people more rights, not fewer,” she said. “The rest of the world is laughing at us and standing with their mouths open like, ‘how can America do this?’ And it’s just the wrong way for people to go.”

Eyewitness News reached out to numerous legal experts in the area to ask about legal ramifications that could come with overturning past rulings. As of Friday night, none had responded.

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