A Utah man has been on hunger strike for the past 15 days to protest his home state’s support of same-sex marriage.

Trestin Meacham, a 35 year-old ex-navy officer,  started his protest after the District Court ruled that state’s ban on same-sex marriage was unconstitutional. On his blog he explains his decision to go on hunger strike, saying, “This has nothing to do with hatred of a group of people.  I have friends and relatives who practice a homosexual lifestyle, and I treat them with the same respect and kindness that I would anyone.  This is about religious freedom, and an out of control federal government.”

Meacham has promised not eat until the state invokes a rarely used ‘nullification’ rule, which he says would allow Utah’s lawmakers to ignore the decision of the court. Legal experts argue that the state cannot nullify the ruling.

In his two weeks on hunger strike, Meacham has lost almost 2 stone, living on just water and the occasional multi-vitamin pill.

Meacham has been live tweeting throughout his hunger strike.

Day 14. The world can rage all it wants, I’m still here.

— Trestin Meacham (@TrestinMeacham1) January 4, 2014

People can say what they wish. I have no ill will toward any of them. I wish all of you well.

— Trestin Meacham (@TrestinMeacham1) January 5, 2014