Gay marriage becomes the law of the land in America
The Respect for Marriage Act is a welcome achievement. It also has lessons for broader social change
Editor’s note: President Joe Biden signed the Respect for Marriage Act on December 13th.
JOE BIDEN will shortly sign the Respect for Marriage Act, closing a chapter that began when Jack Baker and Michael McConnell applied, unsuccessfully, for a marriage licence in Minnesota in 1970. For many gay Americans, together with their friends and families, the new law comes as a relief. No longer is the right to marry contingent on the makeup of the Supreme Court at any given time. Even if the court strikes down Obergefell v Hodges, the 2015 case that legalised gay marriage in America, the effects of doing so would be much reduced.
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