President Joe Biden today signed the Respect for Marriage Act, which federally protects same-sex and interracial marriages and obliges states to recognize them—though not to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.
"For most of our nation's history, we denied interracial couples and same sex couples from these protections," Biden said. "It failed to treat them with equal dignity and respect. And now, this law requires an interracial marriage and same-sex marriage must be recognized as legal in every state in the nation."
The new law officially voids the Defense of Marriage Act, which defined marriage as between a man and a woman. It mandates that states honor the validity of out-of-state marriage licenses, including same-sex and interracial unions.
Despite a furious and growing backlash among conservatives realizing that Obergefell, etc., means they now have to see gays in normal life, about 70% Americans now approve of same-sex marriage.
