After a year of setbacks for women’s and LGBTQ rights in the US, finally, a piece of good news.
The Democratic leadership has failed to codify the abortion rights no longer protected nationally by Roe v Wade. This week, however, it managed to enshrine protections in law for same-sex and interracial marriage, as president Joe Biden signed into law the Respect for Marriage Act (RFMA). It stipulates that all US states must recognise as valid all marriages – including same-sex and interracial marriages – performed in other states.
The legislation pre-empts the worst possible outcome should the unfairly stacked, right-wing Supreme Court overturn the rights to same-sex and/or interracial marriage in the future. If that comes to pass, a couple that can no longer marry in their home state could travel to another state to get married, and that marriage – and the rights that come with it – would have to be honored in the state where they live. Not that anyone should have to travel to another state to receive a marriage licence or abortion care.
