Respect for Marriage Act -- An Announcement Whose Time Has Come

There's very exciting news on the marriage equality front! Yesterday, a group of Congressmen and Congresswomen announced the launch of the Respect for Marriage Act -- a piece of legislation that would overturn the Defense of Marriage Act, and take a significant step in acheiving marriage equality. In a press release issued by Freedom to Marry, bill co-sponsor Jerry Nadler (D-NY) is quoted as saying, “When DOMA was passed in 1996, its full harm may not have been apparent to all Members of Congress because same-sex couples were not yet able to marry. It was a so-called ‘defense’ against a hypothetical harm. This made it easy for our opponents to demonize gay and lesbian families. By repealing the outmoded Defense of Marriage Act, and replacing it with the Respect for Marriage Act, we’ll begin to honor and support all couples who pledge to honor and support one another as they work to raise families, hold jobs, and contribute to their communities. The proposed legislation is an opportunity to re-engage in the fight for marriage equality, as it opens the door to public discourse on marriage equality, and builds upon the momentum we've been gaining with same-sex marriage triumphs throughout the year. If you'd like more info on the bill, the Freedom to Marry site has an excellent page, including a link to the HRC's Repeal DOMA page, which will allow you to send a message to President Obama and your Congressional representatives. Please spread the word: We have a great opportunity to make progress toward equality in marriage.