Jim Obergefell will tell UF students how he helped make history.
Obergefell, the lead plaintiff in the Supreme Court case that made same-sex marriage legal across the country (Obergefell v. Hodges), will speak about his personal life and the events leading up to the historic case Oct. 14 at 8 p.m. in the University Auditorium, said Carolyna Guillen, UF Pride Student Union’s internal vice president.
Guillen, a UF microbiology and cell science junior, said she thinks Obergefell is the perfect speaker for PSU’s Pride History Week, which starts Monday.
"He helped us make history," the 20-year-old said. "I see him as a really huge pioneer in our movement."
Pride Student Union and Accent Speaker’s Bureau partnered to pay about $20,000 to bring Obergefell to campus, said Kevin Gerson, Accent chairman.
Students can pick up a ticket for the event with their Gator 1 Cards at 6 p.m. the day of the event at the auditorium. The general public can pick up tickets at 7 p.m., said Gerson, a UF political campaigning graduate student.
The 21-year-old said he’s excited for Obergefell to come and spark conversations about LGBTQ+ issues across campus.
"This is truly a unique opportunity to hear from the man who is at the center of one of the most consequential Supreme Court cases of the 21st century," he said.
Contact Alexandra Fernandez at afernandez@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter @alexmfern
