APA Files Amicus Briefs in Two Same-sex Marriage Cases Before U.S. Supreme Court

Posted: March 20th, 2013 ˑ Filed under: News, Psychology

APA argues there’s “no scientific basis for prohibiting same-sex marriage” in briefs filed in cases challenging The Defense of Marriage Act and California’s Proposition 8.

Psychology will inform upcoming U.S. Supreme Court hearings on same-sex marriage with two APA briefs reporting that there is no valid scientific basis for denying same-sex couples the right to legal marriage, or to deprive them of the institution’s considerable benefits. APA filed two “friend of the court” briefs presenting empirical evidence in support of same-sex marriage, arguing that denying recognition to legally married same-sex couples stigmatizes them. The briefs were filed in the cases of Hollingsworth v. Perry, which challenges California’s Proposition 8, and U.S. v. Windsor, which challenges the federal Defense of Marriage Act. Both cases are slated to be argued in late March.