Holder Announces Federal Recognition of Same-Sex Marriages

By Grimy Times Staff

In a move that is being hailed as a major victory for the LGBTQ community, Attorney General Eric Holder announced today that the federal government will recognize same-sex marriages taking place in seven new states. The move comes on the heels of the Supreme Court’s decision to decline to review rulings from three federal appeals courts that had struck down bans on same-sex marriage in five states across the country.

’We will not delay in fulfilling our responsibility to afford every eligible couple, whether same-sex or opposite-sex, the full rights and responsibilities to which they are entitled,’ Holder said in a video message. ’With their long-awaited unions, we are slowly drawing closer to full equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Americans nationwide.’

The seven new states that will recognize same-sex marriages are Indiana, Oklahoma, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin, and at least two others that have not been named. The move will extend federal benefits to same-sex couples, including the right to visit their partners in the hospital and to be recognized as the rightful parents of their own adopted children.

’The steady progress toward LGBT equality we’ve seen – and celebrated – is important and historic,’ Holder said. ’But there remain too many places in this country where men and women cannot visit their partners in the hospital, or be recognized as the rightful parents of their own adopted children; where people can be discriminated against just because they are gay.’

The Supreme Court’s decision to decline to review the lower-court rulings is a major victory for the LGBTQ community, and marks a significant step forward in the fight for marriage equality. The move comes just one day after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit joined the other courts that have invalidated bans on same-sex marriage, extending marriage rights even further.

’In the meantime, we will continue to extend federal benefits to same-sex couples to the fullest extent allowed by federal law,’ Holder said. ’And we will continue to work—to the very best of our ability—to bring about a more equal future for all Americans nationwide.’

The full video of Holder’s message is available at http://www.justice.gov/agwa.php.

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