THIS IS HUGE

Rep. Nancy Pelosi Wants 2012 Democratic Party Platform To Unequivocally Support Marriage Equality

A spokesperson for Rep. Nancy Pelosi has stated that the House’s Minority Leader supports the inclusion of pro-marriage-equality language on the 2012 national Democratic Party Platform.

We’ve always loved Nancy Pelosi‘s tireless championing of gay rights, and we’re proud to say she’s finally bringing what has been a teeth-grinding state-by-state battle to the federal level. That’s pretty huge.

The language comes from prominent gay-rights organization Freedom to Marry, which proposed the following plank:

“We support the full inclusion of all families in the life of our nation, with equal respect, responsibilities, and protections under the law, including the freedom to marry. Government has no business putting barriers in the path of people seeking to care for their family members, particularly in challenging economic times. We support the Respect for Marriage Act and the overturning of the federal so-called Defense of Marriage Act, and oppose discriminatory constitutional amendments and other attempts to deny the freedom to marry to loving and committed same-sex couples.”

Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill tells Metro Weekly, “Leader Pelosi supports this language.”

Freedom to Marry president Evan Wolfson lauded Pelosi’s decision. Said Wolfson:

“A strong majority of Democrats and Independents support the freedom to marry, and standing up for all families is not just the right thing to do morally, it’s also right to do politically. I hope more people will quickly join Leader Pelosi by signing Freedom to Marry’s Democrats: Say I Do petition so together we can get the party, and the country, where the majority of Americans already are.”

This could put Pelosi at odds with Obama, who did not support marriage equality in his 2008 campaign. In 2010, he said his position on the matter was “evolving,” and recent White House press conferences have reiterated that he still is not ready to embrace it fully.

One minor quibble: It’s great that Nancy’s spokesperson has confirmed her unequivocal support of our agenda, but we want to see the queen embracing gay rights herself—and asking her party to follow her in doing so—in her own words!

Photo via House of Representatives

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