(Washington) President Joe Biden is set to enshrine new federal protections for same-sex marriage into U.S. law, a step aimed at defending civil liberties that some say are at risk because of a conservative Supreme Court.
President Biden is expected to sign the Respect for Marriage Act in a ceremony Tuesday at the White House.
Congress introduced the bill in July, shortly after a top court ruling on abortion that observers say threatens other privacy-based precedents, including same-sex and interracial marriage.
Many felt the urgency to pass the bill when Republicans regained control of the House of Representatives last month after midterm elections.
Helen Kennedy, Executive Director of Egale Canada, described the passage of the law as a bittersweet moment.
Mme Kennedy says the new law, while important, represents another step in an endless battle for same-sex rights that has been going on for decades.
“It’s fantastic for the gay community in the United States to know that they have a president who supports them and believes in their right to exist,” she said in an interview.
“At the same time, we have to think about others who don’t have these privileges, and there’s still a lot of work to do. »
Bipartisan and grassroots support
Thousands of people are expected to attend what White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre described on Monday as a “celebration” and significant display of bipartisan unity.
“The law also enjoys the support of a majority of Americans of all parties and all religions,” added Ms.me Jean Pierre.
The law does not guarantee same-sex marriage rights; this is still primarily based on a landmark 2015 Supreme Court decision which determined that they are protected by the US Constitution.
If that decision were overturned, the question of whether to issue same-sex marriage licenses would be up to the states, much like the June overturning of Roe v. Wade restored the ability to ban abortion at the state level.
By repealing the Defense of Marriage Act, the new law will enshrine federal recognition of same-sex marriage and require states to respect existing marriages, including those performed in other states.
Hate crimes on the rise
The bill does nothing to address a growing wave of violent crimes against the LGBTQ community. For example, last month a mass shooting at a Colorado Springs nightclub killed five people and injured 19.
New law enforcement data released on Monday painted only a partial picture of hate in the United States, due to changes in reporting standards that blocked a number of major law enforcement agencies from accessing 2021 data.
Of the 7,303 hate crimes recorded in 2021 by the FBI, the majority of them – 62% – were motivated by racial hatred. Sexual orientation was the second largest category at 16%, while 4% related to gender identity.
“No one in this country should be forced to live their life in fear of being attacked because of how they look, who they love, or where they worship,” Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta said in a statement. a statement.
Using its own statistics, the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino, released a separate study earlier this year that found a 20% increase in hate crimes across all areas in 2021, including a 51% spike in anti-LGBTQ crime.
This is the daily reality for LGBTQ people, regardless of what courts and lawmakers may say or do, Ms.me Kennedy.
“When you are part of a marginalized group, you are always a target. It doesn’t matter what the law says, because you haven’t changed the culture — the culture doesn’t change just because there’s a law in place,” she remarked.