One year ago today, on a cold December afternoon, I gathered with hundreds of advocates, legislators, and families on the White House lawn as President Joe Biden signed my Respect for Marriage Act, making marriage equality the law of the land.
This was the culmination of not only months of hard work garnering support from my Democratic and Republican colleagues, but also decades of fighting for equality.
This existential fight came to a head when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, which not only stripped women of their fundamental right to control their bodies, but also put the validity of same-sex and interracial marriages into jeopardy. In that fateful decision, Justice Clarence Thomas wrote that the Obergefell case, which recognized same-sex marriage, should also be revisited. This sent chilling shockwaves through the country, with millions of same-sex and interracial couples now questioning if and when their marriage would be on the chopping block.
That decision sent me into overdrive to pass my bill to ensure that interracial and same-sex couples were afforded the same rights and freedoms as any other married couple, regardless of what the activist Supreme Court does. I know that in a polarized country and an even more polarized Congress, bipartisanship can often be seen as a mythical, far-fetched idea. Not to mention passing legislation to protect LGBTQ rights would have been thought impossible when I was first elected to Congress in the era of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. But, we did it.
A group of Democrats and Republicans, including Senators Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), and myself fanned out to tell the stories of our constituents and make the case to our colleagues. We overcame roadblocks that many thought could not be moved and delays that many thought would be infinite, but in the end, we earned a dozen Republican votes—what I would call, defying political gravity.
To earn my colleagues' support, I would talk about our constituents, our family and friends, or our staff, because we all undoubtedly knew someone in a same-sex or interracial relationship who was fearful their marriage could be in jeopardy. I would talk about how these Americans are just as deserving of the same rights as any other couple. And I would not take "no" for an answer.
A year after the Respect for Marriage Act was signed into law, that's what I'm reflecting on today—the people I serve and the difference we made for millions of families. As Gerald from Milwaukee put it when I spoke to him and his husband Gatlin, passing the Respect for Marriage Act was a, "huge relief for me. Huge. I can finally sleep."
That's a story I've heard time and again from my constituents over the past year who were fearful their marriage, and the rights that came with it, could be on the line. It's a story I heard from Bob and Dan from Wisconsin, who have been together for over 25 years.
"Now, we enjoy the same protections as any other married couple in the United States," they wrote to me. "We know that we are safe."
Passing the Respect for Marriage Act has given millions of couples across the United States peace of mind that their marriages, and their families, will be recognized and protected under the law, just like any other couple. In short, it made a real difference.
When people ask me what it was like to make history by passing this legislation, I give a similar response to those who asked me what it was like being the first woman to be elected to Congress from Wisconsin, or the first openly gay challenger to win election to the Senate—the point was never about making history, it was about making a difference. With this bill, we were able to do both.
I am so proud to have worked across party lines to make a difference for the American people and protect marriage equality. To those couples, I hope this anniversary is a reminder that when we fight for what is right, we can win. Nothing is more central to the ideals of this nation than each of our freedom to be who we are without fear of persecution. I know with the help of those who got us to this moment, we will continue the fight to protect LGBTQ people and every Americans' right to be treated equally under the law.
Senator Tammy Baldwin has worked with Democrats and Republicans to strengthen economic security for working families, investing in education and workforce readiness, building a strong Made in Wisconsin economy, and protecting Americans' hard-earned retirement savings. Senator Baldwin is dedicated to ensuring Wisconsinites can lead healthy lives, successfully expanding access to high-quality health care, cutting the cost of prescription drugs, and helping ensure Wisconsinites have safe water, clean air, and an environment free of toxic chemicals.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
