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US President Joe Biden signed into law on Tuesday the Respect for Marriage Act (RFMA; H.R. 8404), a landmark United States federal legislation passed by the 117th United States Congress protecting same-sex and interracial marriages.
The historic legislation repeals the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and codifies both same-sex and interracial marriages. This simply means that with the Respect for Marriage Act, both the federal and state governments are now required to recognize both same-sex and interracial marriages and they are now prohibited from “denying the validity of a marriage legally performed in another state on the basis of sex, race or ethnicity,” The Guardian reports. For more information regarding RFMA, click here.
DOMA, which was signed into law in 1996, not only defined marriage as “a union between a man and a woman,” but it also denied federal benefits to same-sex couples. Read more about it here.
The signing ceremony, which was held on the South Lawn of the White House, was attended by many guests including some who are notable LGBTQ figures and activists the likes of Sam Smith, Cyndi Lauper, and the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington DC.
Prior to signing the Respect for Marriage Act, Biden said, “The road to this moment has been long, but those who believe in equality and justice, you never gave up.” He added: “This law and the love it defends strikes a blow against hate in all its forms.”
LGBTQ advocate and ally Cyndi Lauper, who performed her iconic song True Colors, also spoke at the event. She said: “I came here because I wanted to say thank you to President Biden, Speaker [Nancy] Pelosi, Vice President [Kamala] Harris, and all the advocates on his team. For once, our families — mine and a lot of my friends and people you know, sometimes your neighbors — we can rest easy tonight because our families are validated.”
Lauper added: “Now, we’re allowed to love who we love, which sounds odd to say, but Americans can now love who we love. Bless Joe Biden and all the people that worked on this for allowing people not to worry and their children not to worry about their future.”
Watch Lauper’s performance below:
In addition, Sam Smith also sang their hit single “Stay with Me” at the signing ceremony. They wrote on their official Instagram account:
My deepest thanks to President Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden for inviting me to perform at the White House, it was a true honor. Watching President Biden sign the Respect for Marriage Act was a landmark moment for freedom of love and hopefully just the beginning of the important work ahead to continue to expand the protections of the LGBTQ+, non-binary and transgender communities; and build towards a world where love is celebrated regardless of gender, race, ethnicity or sexuality.
View this post on Instagram
Meanwhile, Secretary Pete Buttigieg tweeted on his official account: “Starting today, millions of American families will know that our marriages are protected — not just by a margin of one on the Supreme Court but by American law.”
Other guests present at the signing were Pulse Nightclub survivor and activist Brandon Wolf, civil rights attorney Philip Jay Hirschkop (who represented Mildred and Richard Loving in Loving v. Virginia, which struck down laws against interracial marriages), as well as the plaintiffs from the landmark same-sex marriage case Obergefell v. Hodges, to name a few. Read here for the full story.
It legally confirm that a “Marriage” regardless of sex identity is legal and must be recognized within all 50 states.
It has essentially already been recognized – albeit – reluctantly.
It is, mostly, symbolic and obviously political as The Democrats lost control of Congress and are using the “Lame-Duck” period to show that they still control Congress.
Another example of useless legislation just because Congress can.
Also,
the need to reintegrate the legality of Interracial Marriages in 2022?
Didn’t Diana Ross marry two white males?; the first in 1971 and the second in 1985? Did anyone obstruct her with either marriage?
Isn’t it rather asinine to tack on to an, essentially, Gay Marriage Legislation, a
Legal Approbation of Interracial Marriages?
Nope, in a word “Codify” once and for all, forever!
A long, standing tradition or practice, by either definition or by default, is already (Grandfathered) “Codified.”
Thus, I was pointing out superficiality of attaching the “legalization of interracial marriages“.
“Grandfathered” regardless, the good deed, is done. “Ross, is the boss” she, does whom she likes, not the other way around, yeah, baby!!!
I’m sure, interracial marriage is more righteous than interracial rape, don’t you agree? Some prefer evil, though, right?
Thank you President Biden ♥
The name of each Act tells everything: Defense is a barricaded exclusion of others from a position regarded as the exclusive possession of the occupiers. Respect, if we break down the word into its Latin roots, means “a looking again”, basically, seeing things from more than your own perspective, and recognizing that everyone has a different life and a different experience, and has the right to it. Defense denies any position but your own. Respect acknowledges equal value with your own. It reminds me of the way the Puritans dealt with the natives at Plymouth. The natives welcomed the strangers… Read more »
Defense Does NOT “deny ever one else’s position but your own”. What kind of non-sense is that? Defense means “actions to deflect aggression intended upon oneself “ your Logic asserts that all opinions are of equal merit. An attacker forces his will upon another . Its not the defender who is denying his attacker its vice versa. Your stupid Logic would justify every crimeccommitted upon another. Its a return to pre-civilization and darwinian survival on the most inhumane level. Its non-sense
Looks like ‘we’ve’ learned something, ‘think’ ahead of the game for a change, instead of being on the ropes all the time.
Since when were gay marriages and even interracial marriages illegal???
Interracial marriages have never been at risk. It’s been going on for decades lol
Not until now, the possibility has never been stronger.
Learn your history. In 1958, two residents of Virginia, Mildred Jeter, a black woman, and Richard Loving, a white man, were married in the District of Columbia. The Lovings returned to Virginia shortly thereafter. The couple was then charged with violating the state’s antimiscegenation statute, which banned inter-racial marriages. The Lovings were found guilty and sentenced to a year in jail (the trial judge agreed to suspend the sentence if the Lovings would leave Virginia and not return for 25 years).The Supreme Court’s ruling overturned the Lovings’ conviction and had the effect of invalidating laws against interracial marriage in 15… Read more »
Thank you, Mountain Dawg, school them. So many people have no idea, the battles won for their freedoms in this; our country, how the everyday freedoms won, that they take for granted.
1958 is not today. There is no discrinination Against nor laws preventing interracial marriage anywhere in the USA. Come on, the only remaining Racism is only in the eyes of the beholders. They purpetuate the division to satisfy their own needs such as keeping political power or driving hatred to incite harm upon their political enemies. They are the worst kinds of Leaders snd most all suffer from donkey pox
You need to open your eyes, As a white guy I see discrimination all around. If you don’t see, you are purposely deciding not to see it. Silence is as bad as discriminating
Mr. hear no evil, so no evil…
Wow, you people, know nothing and I mean, nothing of your countries past! It always amazes me how other foreigners know more about our hist., than the typical American! How the fuck can that be?!!!
Is it sad, but most are in their happy little world and don’t want the truth to interfere in their fantasy that life is good.
Marriage is an institution of the Church. If a persons faith , their Church beleive only a man and woman can be “married”… so be it. Gay people have “ civil unions” and those should bestow the same rights as marriage. Gay people need not destroy the institutions of faith which dont accomodate them. We can choose another or create our own or join in civil unions. Its far too intolerant to expect everyone to conform to gay marriage when legally you can have all the sane benifits without forcing those of other faith to do what they dont beleive.… Read more »
Wow. Marriage is a civil instituation. You don’t have to be married in a church. no church is being forced to marry gay people. But Churches and other people are trying to prevent civil gay marriage. Vote to protect marriage for all and don’t let thehateful rightist republicans confuse the issue and force their beliefs on you.
WTH?!!!! Do you realize how insane you must be, lmao! You really do believe that don’t you, you poor thing, lol.
More Popularity Points for the Biden Administration, thrilling the LGTBQ+ Community. What’s forgotten, however, is Obama took care (supposedly) of Same Sex Marriage in 2015. Such matters, by US Law, are actually in the hands of the States and then Congress if there’s conflict across State lines. This Administration can say “we did something!” but it will need to be proven if the “something” has legal teeth. Recently, the Supreme Court corrected an error about the abortion “law” that was a toothless legal error, not a law. So far, few States have cared to newly address Abortion, leaving awkward older… Read more »
You are correct!
Legislation cannot legislate morality; It can only penalize those who refuse to buckle under the “Liberal Cause.”
Useless legislation only reduces the potency of legislation by make “Everyman & Everywoman” ignore such laws and bylaws.
You cannot legislate acceptance; you can only legislate tolerance.
The sumpreme court has lost credibility due to the 4 religous zealot who use the court to promote their personal views. You have to wonder how preventing anyone one group of people from doing something over another, voting, marrying come to mind. The abortion law did not require any one to have an abortion, IR or gay marriage rights do not require any one to marry out of their race or to marry a gay person
Dalida, Interracial marriages were added to the bill, so that if a senator opposed the bill for gay marriage and voted against it, activists could allege that the senator was racist. A dirty trick for sure.
Unless I’ve misunderstood, but I don’t think so; righteous is what I say, there were no dirty tricks; freedom to love, mate, procreate with whoever the two parties wish, very simple. Hell, I’m of mixed heritage like the majority of African Americans, as of the typical act of rape of the African slave women during slavery. Today’s biracial children have come about through freedom of choice . . . to love, sex and yes, the now “cauterized” legal right marry . . . But I guess ‘if’ the “white nationalist” party, wants to keep America “white?” Too late, many of… Read more »
Democrat Party has run every major US city for decades. What have then done to improve the lives of their citizens? Zero, these are corrupt politicians and corrupt elections. Democrats are Anti American Anti Freedom, Anti Truth and they drive the BS that keeps us dicided, its the only way they know how to win. They always loose in a fair debate because they are dishonest
look to Flint where the republican state office holders poisoned the theblack city. Look to the State who witheld funding from Jackson Mississippi a majority black city from improving their water system.
“A mind is a terrible thing to waste,” you’re living proof, man.
This was settled years ago! It’s just more Liberal virtue signaling. Maybe he should worry about the border crisis, 40 yr high inflation, and gas prices!
F*ck Joe Biden!
He’s not like the orange fuck, he can and does chew gum and walk simultaneously, etc., he was smart enough to make this move, he plays chess better? Just heading ya’ll off at the path; lessoning ‘that’ agenda (separation of the races). We’re all paying less for gas, for the moment anyway, inflation is a WORLD problem, not just here.
Thank you Lamar.
What you wrote is correct!
But it isn’t press worthy so it does not get mentioned.
The Liberals do not want to hear about realities…for if they did…they realize that what they protolyze isn’t important and isn’t sensationalism!
And yet there are still gay people in this country who vote Republican. Its mind boggling.
I really think psychologically, there’s such a degree of narcissism at the heart of these people’s psychological wiring. The worst are “white nationalists” it’s their lack of morality, empathy . . . they have no sense of right and wrong, man, they really are sick/evil of which, there is no cure.
Like the evangelists; there’s absolutely, nothing “Christian” about their views or actions towards humanity, just cloaking their hate-racism and sexism. In this country “gaslighting” has been going on since the inception of. “WOKE!!!”
Quite honestly, Lamar, folks like you and others who insist everybody see the world their way and their way only make it pretty easy to hate.
Yes. There are still some of us who think for ourselves and vote for what’s best for our Country- Republicans
An avowed Republican!
An A4A Member with Cojones!
I and many other gays vote Republican because we have common sense. The cheap tricks of the pseudo-democrats like Biden don’t work on us.
He is once again taking credit for something already done, years before he was pres. The SCOTUS already ruled, in 2015, gay marriage is legal, in all 50 states!
Dude, they’re making sure, like abortion, it cannot be overturned, brought-up for elimination, simple. “Cauterized” That means, you cannot and will not have fight for right, AGAIN!
As previously stated the Sumpreme can and has overturned previous decisions. Don’t confuse the issue, Biden was not taking credit for the SCOTUS decision, He was codifying it. BIG Difference
Next, Biden will sign a landmark law that makes inflation illegal LOL
That would be the same Biden who voted for DOMA because he was ‘sick of the gays’
Be wary the pandering President who claim to support gay rights: his record on individual rights is the worst since the days of slavery. People know that if citizens have no freedom of speech, then it doesnt matter what group you belong to, you are not free, not equal and no respected. As of today, the evidence and proof of our own Government under the Biden Regime has been censoring information and silencing evidence of its own criminal activities. The Democrat bureaukrats at FBI and other Agencies have in fact being directing a nationwide organized propaganda campaign and using private/… Read more »