Civil Rights

Obama: Marriage Act Unconstitutional

Tells DOJ to stop enforcing gay-marriage ban.

Gay-rights advocates can celebrate a major victory. President Obama has reportedly decided that the Defense of Marriage Act, a 1996 law that defines marriage as being between a man and a woman, is unconstitutional and has instructed the Department of Justice to stop fighting challenges to the law in court. Obama has struggled to balance support for some gay rights with existing laws, including an incident where the administration called for repeal of the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy while defending it in court. The president has said that he personally does not support gay marriage, but recently added that his views are evolving.