My reluctance before that day to publicly embrace marriage equality had everything to do with my constitutional responsibilities. I am sworn to uphold the laws of Utah, and the laws of Utah, until Dec. 20, constitutionally prohibited marriage for same-sex couples. While I have long been a champion of equality, marriage for so many of our family members, friends and neighbors seemed far out of reach. But here it was, in a 53-page decision declaring that the state's 2004 ban against marriage between two loving gay or lesbian Utahns violated the federal rights of these couples under the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.