I was heartened to see Friday’s statement by Attorney General Eric Holder announced that the federal government will recognize same-sex marriages happening in the states affected by the Supreme Court’s recent decision not to review three federal appeals courts rulings that overturned marriage bans for same-sex couples.
Beyond Holder’s action itself I was struck by the words he used to explain the move:
“The practical consequences of the Court’s decision are profound for families throughout the nation. Within hours of the decision, same-sex couples in Indiana, Oklahoma, Utah, Virginia, and Wisconsin were able to have their unions recognized in the states where they live — to stand with their partners, and with their children, as loving and committed families with the full protection of the law.”
The attorney general’s inclusion of families and children went right to the heart of the matter for gay dads like me and the millions of other LGBTQ families I represent in my leadership role at the national organization Family Equality Council. Holder validated all of our efforts to amplify the lives and the stories of the children who are impacted by the level of recognition their parents are afforded under the law.