COLAGE Executive Director Jordan Budd released the following statement in response to President Biden signing the “Respect for Marriage Act” into law:
I am grateful to see the Democrats in the federal government take seriously the threats against marriage equality made by Justice Clarence Thomas in his concurrent opinion overturning Roe v. Wade, and I laud the signing of the Respect for Marriage Act by President Biden. For too long as marriage equality passed state-by-state, queer families could not move or travel domestically without threatening the protections and benefits afforded by the recognition of those marriages. Still today, in 32 states, there are no state laws protecting marriage equality. We’re pleased that even if Obergefell v. Hodges is overturned, our families will still be able to move around the United States without worrying if their marriage would be recognized in their new home.
While I join the celebration, I also want to make sure we don’t lose sight of where this bill falls short. The Respect for Marriage Act provides protections for currently married spouses should their state ban same-sex marriage in the future, but it does not fully codify Obergefell v. Hodges into federal law. LGBTQ+ people should be able to get married in the state they call home, regardless of the whims of that state’s governing party. If traveling across state lines to receive medical care in the form of an abortion is not acceptable, it follows that traveling across state lines to get married is not acceptable, either.
Today we celebrate this important win, and tomorrow we continue the fight so that our families are afforded the same rights as straight families in every state across the country.
Read about other concerns with the Respect for Marriage Act, learn more about COLAGE and our work, and help support us as we continue to provide community and empowerment for people with LGBTQ+ parents/caregivers.