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In Landmark Move, US President Joe Biden Signs Same-Sex Marriage Bill, White House Lights Up With Rainbow Colours
Writer: Deepthi Rao
She is a postgraduate student pursuing Multimedia Journalism at Christ Deemed to be University. She believes in the power of storytelling and truth. "Do it with passion or not at all."
Others/World, 14 Dec 2022 10:03 AM GMT
Editor : Jayali Wavhal |
She writes about gender issues, human interest, and environment.
Creatives : Deepthi Rao
She is a postgraduate student pursuing Multimedia Journalism at Christ Deemed to be University. She believes in the power of storytelling and truth. "Do it with passion or not at all."
The new law, known as the Respect for Marriage Act, does not mandate states to legalise same-sex marriage, but it does require them to recognise a marriage as long as it's valid in the state where it was performed.
In a legislative milestone, US President Joe Biden signed a bill that will grant federal protections to same-sex marriage and interracial marriages under the law. The new law, known as the Respect for Marriage Act, does not mandate states to legalise same-sex marriage, but it does require them to recognise a marriage as long as it's valid in the state where it was performed.
The bill was signed on Tuesday during a ceremony assembled on the South Lawn of the White House, in front of some 2,000 attendees. To commemorate the event, the White House was lit up with rainbow colours.
Towards Acceptance and Equality
Under the new law, the previous legislation that defined marriage as a union between a man and a woman becomes nullified. Instead, it protects interracial couples by requiring states to recognise legal marriages regardless of 'sex, race, ethnicity, or national origin.'
With 39 Republicans joining Democrats in their support, the legislation was approved by the House with 258 votes in support and 169 against. The House's approval of the 'Respect for Marriage Act' follows the Senate's approval of the same bill by a vote of 61-36 the previous week.
Today is a good day.
— President Biden (@POTUS) December 13, 2022
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.
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.
Bipartisan passage of the bill by the House will provide peace of mind to LGBTQI+ and interracial couples, according to White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre.
Seen, Heard, And Validated
The first openly gay senator in the US, Tammy Baldwin, expressed 'overwhelming joy' at the passage of the law, which she helped draft in Congress, reported NDTV. She said this would go down in history and make a difference for millions of Americans. "We are telling the millions of same-sex and interracial couples that we see them and we respect them," she said.
Grammy winners Sam Smith and Cyndi Lauper performed at the ceremony. Smith, who announced in 2019 that they are nonbinary and use they/them pronouns, sang "Stay With Me" before Lauper sang "True Colors". Lauper, a longtime LGBTQ advocate, told reporters in the White House briefing room before her performance, "We can rest easy tonight because our families are validated."
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