DC, USA — Thousands stood with President Joe Biden on Tuesday as he signed gay marriage legislation into law before a bipartisan mass, with one of the smiling faces in the crowd being a state representative of metro Atlanta.
Georgia State Rep. Matthew Willson and his husband Robert Poole were asked by invitation to take part in this piece of history. Wilson, a lawyer from Brookhaven, represents parts of DeKalb and Fulton counties.
"Being here today is just so moving for us because it guarantees that this legal bond - the legal rights that we have from our marriage will continue and won't be taken away from us," Wilson said.
The new law is intended to protect gay marriages in the event that the U.S. Supreme Court ever reverses its 2015 decision in Obergefell v. Hodges that legalized same-sex unions nationwide. The new law also protects interracial marriages, which were made legal in 1967 when the Supreme Court in Loving v. Virginia struck down laws in 16 states that barred interracial marriage.
Gina and Heidi Nortonsmith were present and spoke at the signing, reflecting on their case that led to marriage equality in Massachusetts and, ultimately, the United States.
“Literally, the day that the court validated that our love was equal, we got married," the Nortonsmiths said.
Rep. Matthew Wilson at Respect for Marriage signing
“It takes the efforts of many to bend the arc of history toward justice. Even now, there are so many places where people in our community are under attack. The work will continue. But look at how far we've come.”
Lawmakers from both parties were there, as were First Lady Jill Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff. Singer Cyndi Lauper, a longtime advocate for gay rights, performed, as did Sam Smith.
“The road to this moment was long, but those who believe in equality and justice, you never gave up," Biden said. "Many of you standing on the South Lawn here - so many of you put your relationship on the line, your jobs on the line, your lives on the line, to fight for the law (I'm) about the sign.”
The signing ceremony will signify the end of a months-long bipartisan effort that was initiated by the Supreme Court's decision in June to overturn Roe v. Wade. The ruling, which was made in 1973, ensured that abortion was available across the United States and a human right that was federally protected.
In a concurring opinion in the case that overturned Roe v. Wade, Justice Clarence Thomas hinted at the possibility of revisiting other decisions, including the legalization of gay marriage. This caused concern among many people that the conservative majority on the court may imperil more civil rights.