Former President Barack Obama has slammed Republican politicians still attempting to use marriage equality as a wedge issue.
MetroWeekly reports that Obama made the remarks at a Virginia rally for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe on Saturday at an event at Virginia Commonwealth University. McAuliffe’s GOP rival, Glenn Youngkin, had made comments days earlier calling marriage equality “legally acceptable,” but adding the caveat that he finds it personally unacceptable.
Obama, the first sitting president to endorse marriage equality, didn’t hold back his thoughts on Youngkin’s remarks.
Related: Guess which openly gay actor is set to play Bayard Rustin for producer Barack Obama
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
“Are we still arguing about gay marriage? Really?” Obama groused. “I thought that was pretty clearly the right thing to do.”
“I’m here today because I believe Virginia will make the right choice,” he then added. “I believe America, ultimately, will make the right choice. I believe you right here in Virginia are going to show the rest of the country, and the world, that we’re not going to indulge in our worst instincts. We’re not going to go back to the past that did so much damage, we’re going to move forward with people like Terry leading the way.”
With the Trump Supreme Court, we can't take anything for granted. I'll ALWAYS stand up for marriage equality here in Virginia. We've come too far to go back now.
— Terry McAuliffe (@TerryMcAuliffe) October 22, 2021
McAuliffe, for his part, also showed opposition to Youngkin’s remarks. “As governor, I worked my heart out to keep Virginia open and welcoming to all. This type of bigotry and intolerance has NO place in our Commonwealth,” he tweeted October 22. “I was proud to be the first Southern governor to officiate a same-sex wedding. With the Trump Supreme Court, we can’t take anything for granted. I’ll ALWAYS stand up for marriage equality here in Virginia. We’ve come too far to go back now.”
At the time of this writing, FiveThirtyEight shows McAuliffe leading over Youngkin in the race by just 2% points.
AxelDC
Youngkin publicly admits he’s a homophobic bigot.
Ronbo
Why are factual posts being moderated? The Supreme Court, not Obama, gave us the right to marry. Obama claimed that “God is in the mix” when he denied our equality.
I’m glad Obama changed his mind; but, he was reluctant. I wonder if he still thinks that God is opposed to marriage equality.
BoomerMyles
President Obama was ALWAYS in favor of gay marriage. In his questionnaire for Illinois state legislator he responded in the affirmative FOR same-sex marriage rights.
He was advised to change his public opinion so gay marriage wouldn’t be a wedge issue in the 2008 election.
He was always FOR same-sex marriage.
Crayonap
@BoomerMyles he very publicly did not support marriage equality. Obama was never actively working for our community, let’s all stop trying to pretend that he did. Marriage equality happened because of us. Obama did nothing.
Mister P
Gee. I miss Obama.
G-Man
I totally agree with you.
Ronbo
Biden is much, Much, MUCH better. He was the first politician who went on TV and called for our equality. Biden forced President Obama’s hand. Remember who repeatedly claimed “God is in the mix” as if he thinks that God was against our equality.
The Supreme Court reversed DOMA, not President Obama.
cuteguy
We went from the best in Obama to the worst in Trumpf. The Dems need more Obamas
Hank31
Virginia had one of the most extreme anti-gay marriage amendments in the US. It passed in 2006 with 57% of the vote, which was on the low end at the time. If Obergefell is ever reversed, the VA amendment will spring back to life. VA should do what Nevada did last year and remove it from the books. This requires a public vote, but given that it only got 57% support 15 years ago, and given that VA has turned much more blue, I would think we could win handily.
GreekKeys
Still arguing? Get ready. The GQP is just getting started and you know what they’re going to use as a blugeon to decimate all gay rights? The trans. They see this issue as the gift that will keep on giving. Bathrooms. Women’s sports. Children. We’ve allowed the trans issue to be conflated with gay rights. They’re not creating some false equivalence. We gave it to them. There’s an Aesop fable about the eagle who, while flying, is pierced by an arrow. As he falls to his death, he sees one of the feathers in the arrow is his. He dies cursing his participation in his own demise.
tomamundo
Thank you and Aesop for fable to remember!
Hank31
Very well said. Allowing ourselves to be lashed to transgenderism and trans activism — to be identified with it, to have our very identity conjoined with it — has come with a huge cost. And the people who supposedly represent us don’t want us to talk about it.
Mister P
Everyone’s rights are in jeopardy when any group’s rights are threatened.
GreekKeys
What rights do the trans not have?
Ronbo
When a lesbian won’t have sex with a trans woman, they are labeled “TERF”. Maybe we should explain to our outspoken friends that their rights do not supersede the rights of others.
Equal rights, not unlimited rights.
Mister P
Trans rights are human rights.
GreekKeys
How can they be since the trans deny their humanness?
inbama
But is the right to dictate everyone’s speech or be canceled, fined or imprisoned a “human right?”
Cam
@GreekKeys @inbama
Uh Oh, the same right wing troll account brought out these old screenames.
Oh, and @inbama , funny how I don’t see you complaining if some straight woman whose name is spelled “Danielle” tells people “Oh, it isn’t Don-Yell, it’s DAN-Yell”
Explain to me your rage at somebody asking you to call them what they want to be called.
GreekKeys
Asking to be called Deborah instead of Debby is one thing. A man asking anyone to participate in the fantasy that he is actually a woman, to have legal recognition of this fantasy, to co-opt hard fought for women’s rights, to demand access to women’s spaces, to take their awards in sports and to be declared the “First Woman” anything is entirely another tureen of bouillabaisse.
Consider This
The reality – there are folks on the US Supreme Court who would be more than willing to revisit the whole concept of same-sex marriage…and NOT in a good way.
GreekKeys
“Revisit” is the nicest way to put it.
Mister P
Geez we have a lot of work to do educating our own community and the right wing trolls.
Ronbo
Do you even know that the Supreme Court gave us the right to marry?
Who denied us equality saying “God is in the mix”?
“Geez” educate yourself first… then brag.
GreekKeys
People like you are always going on about “the work, “the education”, “do the research”, but all you do it repeat false memes (trans rights are human rights? Did you come up with that all by yourself? It’s so… pithy. PS: the trans deny their humanity so how can they claim those rights?) or bitch about other posters who actually say something. Try addressing the issues instead of your debilitating fear that you’re losing. Which you are and, unfortunately, will take down the entire gay movement with you. Thanking you in advance for that.
Cam
Remember, The Republican Party has not put out a platform for years. There is no document saying “This is what Republicans stand for”.
All they have at this point is bigotry and racism.
Ronbo
Who was it that delayed marriage equality by insisting for years and years that “God is in the mix”? The Supreme Court, not Obama, gave us equality. President Obama’s own staff campaigned in the House against allowing a vote to eliminate DADT. Thank you Pelosi for not bowing to the pressure.
Does the LGBTQ community even remember that it was President Bill Clinton who pushed, passed and signed BOTH DADT and DOMA?
A “D” behind a name isn’t always in support of us. Remember that it was President Obama who rejected Medicare for All and gave us the 1993 Republican alternative to single-payer. ACA was the Republican bandaide – not the Democratic solution. Over 43,000,000 Americans still have no healthcare and medical bankruptcies are skyrocketing – worse than before!