Rights Groups, Elected Officials Applaud Respect for Marriage Act
Civil rights groups are over the moon at President Joe Biden’s signing of the Respect for Marriage Act, but they note that more needs to be done to assure LGBTQ+ equality in all aspects of life.The act, which Biden signed into law Tuesday, will protect marriage rights and recognition for same-sex and interracial couples no matter what the Supreme Court does.
It also repeals the Defense of Marriage Act, which is unenforceable due to Supreme Court decisions (that could be reversed) but remains on the books, and offers protections against discrimination based on a couple’s identity.Here is a sample of statements released by civil rights organizations and elected officials.Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson: “Today is a historic day and a much-needed victory for our community.
It should be lost on no one that this bill signing comes less than a month after a deadly attack on our community in Colorado Springs, and at a time when the community continues to face ongoing threats of online and offline violence, as well as legislative attacks on our rights.
In signing this bill, President Biden has shown that LGBTQ+ peoples’ lives and love are valid and supported. As a queer, married woman, this moment holds personal significance, and I will hold my wife and our son a little tighter tonight, alongside the 568,000 other same-sex married couples.
