Obergefell, plaintiff in high court’s gay marriage ruling, has deal for book due out in June

NEW YORK, N.Y. – The lead plaintiff in the landmark Supreme Court case that made gay marriage a nationwide right has a book deal.

Jim Obergefell is collaborating with Washington Post journalist Debbie Cenziper on “21 Years to Midnight,” William Morrow told The Associated Press on Monday. Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, plans a June release to mark the 5-4 ruling’s anniversary.

Obergefell’s involvement in what became Obergefell v. Hodges originated with his desire to have his name listed as “surviving spouse” of the late John Arthur, whom he had married in Maryland. Same-sex marriage had been illegal in Obergefell’s native Ohio.

“When John and I made the decision to stand up for our marriage and the commitments we’d made, we did so with no thought about where our fight might take us,” Obergefell said in a statement. “This book will tell the story of that unexpected journey from the perspective of our 21-year relationship and the overall marriage equality movement.”

Earlier this month, the 20th Century Fox division Fox 2000 Pictures announced it had acquired film rights for “21 Years to Midnight.” Both Fox and Morrow are part of Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp.