On December 13, 2022 Joe Biden signed the Respect for Marriage Act into law, but whether same sex marriages are legal depends more heavily on Obergefell v Hodges, a 2015 case that concluded that same sex marriages were constitutionally protected. The Respect for Marriage Act was passed in an effort to protect same-sex marriages, should Obergefell v Hodges be overturned like Roe V. Wade, giving each state back its power to decide for itself if same-sex marriage should be legal. While the new act wouldn’t prevent this unfortunate event from occurring, it would require “all states to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states and federally recognizes these marriages” (NPR).
Overall, the Respect for Marriage Act shows progress that has been trending in the past two decades. Not long ago, Republicans used their opposition toward same-sex marriage to bolster their campaigns. Now, as many have changed their perspective on this matter, this act has received support from many Republicans. The passing of the Respect for Marriage Act represents a more-inclusive and better society as a whole.
https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/29/politics/respect-for-marriage-act-what-matters/index.htmlhttps://www.npr.org/2022/12/08/1140808263/what-does-the-respect-for-marriage-act-do-the-answer-will-vary-by-statehttps://www.cnn.com/2022/12/13/politics/white-house-same-sex-marriage-signing-ceremony/index.html
