Edith Windsor, the woman at the center
of a case challenging the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), said
Wednesday that she thinks the outcome is “going to be good.”
Windsor, 83, spoke to reporters on the
steps of the Supreme Court after her lawyers had wrapped up a nearly
2-hour hearing.
(Related: Supreme
Court likely to strike down gay marriage ban DOMA.)
“I am today an out lesbian,”
Windsor said, “who just sued the United States of America, which is
kind of overwhelming for me.”
“When my beautiful, sparkling [wife]
Thea died four years ago I was overcome with grief. … In the midst
of my grief I realized that the federal government was treating us as
strangers. And I paid a humongous estate tax.”
“When our marriage appeared in The
New York Times, we heard from literally hundreds of people. …
All congratulating us, and sending love, because we were married. So
it's a magic word. For anybody who doesn't understand why we want it
and why we need it, okay, it is magic.”
Windsor, who was present in the
courtroom, said she did not feel any “hostility” from the
justices.
“I felt we were very respected and I
think it's going to be good,” she added with a smile.