OPINION: Respect for Marriages Act passed but is long overdue

The ability to marry the person you love should not be a privilege. It should not be criticized, argued about or the subject of heated debates on television and at Thanksgiving tables. It shouldn’t be controversial to hold hands in public; a kiss should not be a political statement. Today, everyone should be able to love whoever they do, without fearing consequences. That’s why, as exciting as the new law to pass the Respect for Marriage Act is, it is disheartening that it has taken this long. 

On Dec. 13, President Joe Biden signed the Respect for Marriage Act. After passing in the Senate and House of Representatives, same-sex marriage is now protected under federal law. The law also prohibits denying the validity of a marriage based on gender, race or ethnicity. While this is a huge step for LGBTQ+ acceptance, this is long overdue. It is sad to know that society had self-driving cars and delivery drones before legal protection and common decency toward homosexual couples. Without this legal protection, same-sex couples were put in danger and denied many fundamental rights that all couples deserve. Now, same-sex couples will be able to feel safe and secure in their marriages. The law also repeals the Defense of Marriage Act, a 1996 law that bans federal recognition of same-sex marriage. Supreme Court decisions Obergefell v. Hodges and United States v. Windsor deemed the law unconstitutional a couple of years ago. However, after the overturn of Roe v. Wade, especially after Justice Clarence Thomas specifically mentioned Obergefell v. Hodges in his concurring opinion, many are worried that these decisions may be overturned, hence the importance of the new law. It’s upsetting to hear that almost 30 years after the introduction of the Defense of Marriage Act, the bill could come back into play. 

Thanks to this progress on the Respect for Marriage Act, it looks like the act will not be revived, whether or not Obergefell v. Hodges is overturned by the Supreme Court. However, it is hard not to feel upset that this is an uphill battle that we are still fighting today. 

In order to gain enough support for the bill, a clause was added that guarantees religious organizations would not face major consequences for refusing to recognize same-sex unions. Inside this exciting progress that is already behind its time, is a reminder that many are still against the idea of government and organization recognized same-sex marriages. This is the reality for many members of the LGBTQ+ community, who do not feel love and acceptance in many places where they reside. 

The passing of the bill, which was initally considered dead on arrival, came as a joyous surprise to many who assumed that the Senate would not pass such a bill. Even so, the fact that it has taken this long for a bill like this to become law brings to light the lack of progress in our seemingly progressive society.

This is an exciting win for the LGBTQ+ community and the country as a whole, but it is also a reminder of the work that there is to be done.

Photo credit: “LGBTQ Flag” by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is licensed under (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)