Voices of American Law

In 1992, Colorado voters passed Amendment 2, a measure that would forbid state and local governments from passing laws to ban discrimination against gays. Gay rights groups sued to overturn the law, which had been promoted by Colorado for Family Values, an evangelical Christian group based in Colorado Springs. Governor Roy Romer, who strongly opposed Amendment 2, was required to defend its constitutionality all the way to the Supreme Court.

The story of this landmark equal protection case, 517 U.S. 620, is told through interviews with Governor Romer; plaintiff Angela Romero; attorneys Jean Dubofsky and Mary Celeste; Colorado for Family Values members Kevin Tebedo, Will Perkins, and David Noebel; and state attorney Timothy Tymkovich.