Rainbow lights illuminated the south portico of the White House yesterday after President Joe Biden signed the Respect for Marriage Act into law.
The ceremony was attended by around 2,000 lawmakers, LGBTQ advocates and campaigners with performances by Sam Smith and LGBTQ ally, Cyndi Lauper.
Biden posted a series of tweets celebrating the passing of the legislation.
Today, America takes another step toward equality. Toward liberty and justice not just for some, but for all. Because today, I sign the Respect for Marriage Act into law.”
He went on to thank advocates who fought for this moment.
During yesterday’s ceremony, Biden also called on lawmakers to pass the Equality Act. It would offer further protections to LGBTQ people.
The House passed the legislation last week by a vote of 258-169. The Act offers federal protections to same-sex marriages and interracial marriages. The Senate previously passed it a week earlier but added amendments that required a second vote in the House.
Biden said,
When a person can be married in the morning and thrown out of a restaurant for being gay in the afternoon, this is still wrong. Wrong.”
Marriage is a simple proposition: who do you love? And will you be loyal to the person you love?
— President Biden (@POTUS) December 13, 2022
It’s not more complicated than that.
The Respect for Marriage Act recognizes that everyone should have the right to answer those questions for themselves.
Marriage is a simple proposition: who do you love? And will you be loyal to the person you love?
— President Biden (@POTUS) December 13, 2022
It’s not more complicated than that.
The Respect for Marriage Act recognizes that everyone should have the right to answer those questions for themselves.
(Photos, Twitter; via Queerty)
