(LEX 18) — The White House was lit up in rainbow colors Tuesday evening as same-sex and interracial marriage became officially protected by federal law. Some were worried that the reversal of the Roe v. Wade decision could potentially signal that those rights could come under fire. Several LGBTQ rights advocates from Kentucky were at the White House today to witness the signing of the law.
When President Joe Biden signed the Respect for Marriage Act on the White House lawn today, there were a lot of people there to watch.
"I can't overstate how historic today is," said Chris Hartman, executive director of the Fairness Campaign, based in Louisville. Hartman was in the crowd watching as Biden signed the bill and then spoke.
"This law and the love it defends strike a blow against hate in all its forms. That's why this law matters to every single American, no matter who you are or who you love," Biden said.
Hartman said he never thought he'd see something like this.
"I just couldn't have imagined as a gay teenager in 1997, coming out of the closet, that I would ever, ever see elected officials in our country codify my rights to marry the person I love," he said.
Several Republicans joined with Democrats in supporting the bill in both the House and Senate. Hartman said that bipartisanship was encouraging. He believes elected officials who may not have supported legislation like this in the past may have changed their perspectives after same-sex marriage first became legal nationwide in 2015.
"Once we all started being able to get married, the sky didn't fall in! Support for marriage increased on an incredible trajectory after marriage became legal because nothing happened. Nothing bad happened," he said.
It's a day Hartman won't forget, but also, he said, just one step of a bigger journey.
"This is bittersweet in many ways, because it signals this incredible bipartisan progress on marriage rights, but does not signal the end of the LBGTQ rights movement. The hill is still very high to climb and we've got a lot more work to do," he said.
