On Monday, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton officially announced her support for same-sex marriage rights. In the past, Clinton has supported civil unions and domestic partnerships, but did go so far as to say that she supported marriage equality.
In a video by the Human Rights Campaign, Clinton spoke of her changed views: “America is at its best when we champion the freedom and dignity of every human being,” she said, “Full and equal citizens and deserve the rights of citizenship. That includes marriage. That’s why I support marriage for lesbian and gay couples. I support it personally and as a matter of policy and law.”
Hillary Clinton’s announcement comes after former President Bill Clinton published an op-ed urging the Supreme Court to overturn the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which Clinton signed into law in 1996. DOMA defines marriage as between one woman and one man in the eyes of the federal court and has been used to deny same-sex couples equal rights and benefits even if they are legally married in their state.
