WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden on Tuesday signed into law a historic bill protecting same-sex marriage nationwide, marking a major milestone in the fight for gay rights that followed a seismic shift in attitudes across the nation.
“Today is a good day,” Biden said before signing the bill. “Today, America is taking bold steps toward equality, freedom, and justice, not just for some, but for all. Towards building a nation where decency, dignity and love are recognized, respected and protected.”
In a ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House, Biden signed the Respect for Marriage Act, which requires all states to recognize same-sex and interracial marriage as law. Democratic and Republican lawmakers, LGBTQ advocates and pro-marriage advocates were among the thousands in attendance.
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The new law would protect same-sex marriage if the Supreme Court rules the landmark Obergefell v. Hodges, who legalized same-sex marriage in the United States in 2015
Biden said in a statement after the bill passed the House of Representatives last week that it would “provide guarantees to the millions of LGBTQI+ and multiracial couples who are now guaranteed the rights and protections to which they and their children are entitled.” .
The push to codify gay rights and interracial marriage in Congress comes after Judge Clarence Thomas asked the Supreme Court to “reconsider” other rights established by the Supreme Court after ruling in June that Americans no longer have the right to have an abortion.
Thomas, in consistent statements supporting the overthrow of Roe v. Wade supports the view that prevents states from outlawing contraception, same-sex, and gay marriage.
Noting the “uncertainty” following Dobbs’ decision to oust Roe, Biden said the new law restores “a measure of safety for millions of marriages and families.”
Between 2,000 and 3,000 lawmakers and attorneys attended Tuesday’s signing ceremony on the South Lawn, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.
“Passing the Respect for Marriage Act was not just the right thing for America. It’s personal to us, our employees, and our families. And that of course is personal to me,” Schumer said in his remarks at the ceremony. “The tie I was wearing reminded me of the meaning of this moment. I wore this tie the day my daughter married a beautiful young woman, one of the happiest days of my life.”
The ceremony was also star-studded, including appearances from singers Sam Smith – who is not binary – and Cyndi Lauper, who sang “Stay With Me” and “True Colors”, respectively.
In remarks before the ceremony, Lauper, who campaigns for LGBT rights, thanked the president and those who helped pass the law.
“We have peace of mind tonight because our family has been confirmed,” Lauper said at a White House news conference. “Now we may love whom we love.”
For Biden, signing into law cemented his reputation as the most LGBTQ-friendly president in US history, a legacy that began when Biden bested his boss, President Barack Obama, as vice president in May 2012 and said he felt “a man marries a complete man.” or women marry women.
“What a simple statement all of this is. Whom do you love?” Biden said at the time.
According to data from the Census Bureau’s annual American Community Survey, as of 2021, there are approximately 710,000 households of married same-sex couples and approximately 500,000 households of single-sex couples.
The new laws do not require states to issue marriage certificates to same-sex couples, but they do accept the legitimacy of legal marriages performed elsewhere.
The law passed the House last week by a vote of 258 to 169, with 39 Republicans supporting all Democrats, and the Senate by 61 to 39, with 12 Republicans in favour.
The bipartisan vote reflects a rapid shift in attitudes toward same-sex marriage, which many Democrats were loath to support even a decade ago.
“While we are one step closer to our long journey of building a more perfect union, we must not stop fighting for full equality for LGBTQI+ Americans and all Americans,” Biden said in a statement last week.
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