Gay marriage may be legal in Washington, but the discussion is far from over.

Alison Gash, assistant political science professor at the University of Oregon, spoke for the Foley Institute Thursday afternoon about Gay Marriage Equality and the implications of court rulings. Specifically, Gash presented the backdrop for the upcoming Supreme Court rulings regarding same-sex marriage.

Gash said gay rights are the current generation’s civil rights movement and that there is a lot to be done for the issue without a lot of momentum to do it.

Cornell Clayton, director of the Foley Institute, said the political discussion comes at a good time. Next week, the Supreme Court will hear a few cases pertaining to gay rights. The goal of the discussion was to educate the audience on the issues surrounding gay rights.

“Our goal as an institute is to provide programing that educates the public,” Clayton said. “Same sex marriage has become an issue, and the Supreme Court is going to give it finality. Understanding how these issues come to the Court is something Americans should be interested in.”

Karen Kiessling, an audience member, said she enjoyed learning about same-sex parenting and the legal battle over the issue.

“It was fascinating to have a clear understanding of the legal history of the equality of marriages,” Kiessling said.

Gash said she is passionate about the issue, and sees marriage equality and the Supreme Court rulings as the beginning of the movement for gay rights.

“My hope would be that we as a country would see these rulings as a country in a different light,” Gash said. “I hope it would be a source of motivation and inspiration to strive for full equality, not just the realm of marriage.”

Gash said that the public puts too much attention on the Supreme Court decision, and that it instead needs to proceed with the litigation. Nevertheless, she said the Supreme Court’s decisions will be important.

Gash became interested in the topic while in graduate college, when the first marriage equality ruling was carried out. She said she was fascinated by the backlash and the ruling. Since then, she has written extensively on the issues of gay marriage and has been an advocate for the advancement of gay rights.

The discussion was the last Foley Institute event for the semester; discussions will resume in the fall.