Freedom Oklahoma, 2SLGBTQ+ State Groups Acknowledge the Passage of the Respect for Marriage Act in the U.S. Senate, Call for Further Action
Gray background featuring hearts and a road with navy borders at top and bottom featuring a Freedom Oklahoma logo. Image text "Our dignity is not up for debate. The Respect for Marriage Act is a stop to liberty and justice for all, not the destination."
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 29, 2022
Today, Freedom Oklahoma joined a coalition of 40+ state and local Two Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (2SLGBTQ+) organizations representing millions of 2SLGBTQ+ individuals to acknowledge the U.S. Senate passage of the Respect for Marriage Act and to call for continued action to protect 2SLGBTQ+ people in this country.
“The Respect for Marriage Act is the bare minimum action Congress could take to maintain the status quo protections for queer and interracial couples and our families. We know there is widespread, bipartisan support for the bill, and are disappointed but not surprised to see Oklahoma federal electeds continue to signal their interest in furthering harm to 2SLGBTQ+ families in Oklahoma,” said Nicole McAfee. “We hope in the weeks ahead we will see Congress take bolder steps to enact nondiscrimination protections and other policies to provide safety for all 2SLGBTQ+ people at a time when political and personal attacks are at an all time high. Too many 2SLGBTQ+ Oklahomans and our families are subjected to regular violence and fear for just trying to survive in our communities. Keeping families intact and respecting marriages is just one step in a long-list of protections we need Congress to enumerate, because our systems and policy makers still interpret laws in ways that leave 2SLGBTQ+ people out.”
The Respect for Marriage Act is a popular, bipartisan bill that would require states and the federal government to respect the marriages of same-sex and interracial couples, which is what our nation does now. In August of this year, the legislation cleared the U.S. House of Representatives with a strong bipartisan majority of 267 members – including 47 Republicans, and President Joe Biden has vowed to sign it into law.
“It is now critical that the Senate pass federal nondiscrimination protections this year because a majority of our states still lack explicit laws protecting LGBTQ+ people from discrimination. Ensuring LGBTQ+ people are covered by federal law is a top policy priority and an urgent need facing our community so that we can count on consistent protections wherever we live, work, and play. We can celebrate today’s step forward, but we are far from the finish line,” said the coalition in a letter to the Senate.
The Respect for Marriage Act is simple – it would:
Repeal DOMA and get this anti-marriage federal law off the books.
Ensure that the federal government respects all marriages equally for federal law purposes, and require that an individual be considered married if the couple’s marriage was valid in the state where it was performed.
Prohibit any state government or person acting under color of state law from denying full faith and credit to an out-of-state marriage based on the sex, race, ethnicity or national origin of the individuals in the marriage.
Passing the Respect for Marriage Act is one action the federal government can take to protect 2SLGBTQ+ families and all families – and ensure the dignity, stability, and ongoing protection that marriage affords to families and children.
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Pronouns: Nicole McAfee, they/she