SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. — A moving dedication planned for Southampton will celebrate the efforts of a pioneer dedicated to the fight for same-sex marriage.
Southampton officials will debut the “Edith Windsor Heart Project” memorial at Town Hall on Monday, June 26 at noon on the front lawn of Southampton City Hall, located at 116 Hampton Road.
The project, which began more than a year ago, includes the construction of a heart-shaped stone memorial on the front lawn of Southampton City Hall, city officials said.
The memorial has been created with 261 smaller interlocking hearts, each with a personalized engraving, city officials added.
The platform will be used to hold civil wedding ceremonies, as well as pay tribute to pioneer plaintiff and seasonal town resident Edith Windsor.
On June 26, 2013, the United States Supreme Court decided 5 to 4 the case of United States v. Windsor, which overturned Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act. The case “challenged the constitutionality of DOMA, a federal law that defines marriage for all federal purposes as a legal union between one man and one woman as spouses,” according to the New York Civil Liberties Union.
The case was seen as an important legal victory and a first step towards the recognition of same-sex marriage at the national level.
Windsor, who died in 2017 at age 88, was the lead plaintiff in the case. The unveiling of the monument by the city is planned to coincide with the 10th anniversary of the landmark decision, officials said.
Also, according to the NYCLU, “Windsor, who shared her life with her late husband, Thea Spyer, for 44 years, filed suit against the federal government on November 9, 2010, for refusing to recognize their marriage.”
The couple married in Canada in 2007, the NYCLU said — and were considered married in New York. However, according to the NYCLU, Windsor was “unable to claim the married estate tax deduction available when the surviving spouse is of the opposite sex,” because of DOMA.
The tribute is a symbol of the couple's love and Windsor's brave fight for equality.
Engraved heart stones can still be ordered using it electronic form.
All funds raised will contribute to the construction and maintenance of the memorial, with additional funds to support the Edith Windsor Health Clinic at Stony Brook Southampton Hospital.
For assistance completing an order or other questions, contact Supervisor Jay Schneiderman's office at 631-283-6055 or email joneill@southamptontownny.gov.
