Rep. Sara Jacobs and Her Trans Brother Attend White House Signing Ceremony for Respect for Marriage Act
Congresswoman Sara Jacobs (CA-53), along with her trans brother, Dylan Jacobs, and his wife, Kay Wilson, were at the White House today for the official signing ceremony of the Respect for Marriage Act (H.R. 8404), which will protect marriage equality. This legislation will repeal the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act, protect LGBTQ+ and interracial marriages, and provide additional legal protections for marriage equality.
Last week, Congresswoman Sara Jacobs spoke on the House Floor about officiating Dylan and Kay’s wedding and how the passage of the Respect for Marriage Act honors their and the hundreds of thousands of other LGBTQ+ marriages across the country.
“It means so much to me to share this incredible moment with Dylan and Kay,” said Congresswoman Sara Jacobs. “Their marriage – like all LGBTQ+ marriages – deserves to be celebrated, recognized, and protected. Now that the Respect for Marriage Act is law, we’re finally making progress in catching up to the American people, who overwhelmingly support marriage equality. The fight continues – but today is a great day.”
Rep. Sara Jacobs, Dylan Jacobs, and Kay Wilson at the White House signing ceremony
The Respect for Marriage Act would:
-
Repeal the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act. Although this law was rendered inert by the Supreme Court’s marriage equality decisions, it remains on the books. Enacting the Respect for Marriage Act would finally erase the discriminatory law from the U.S. code.
-
Protect marriage equality by ensuring that – for federal purposes – people are considered married if the marriage was valid in the state where it was performed.
-
Provide additional protections at the state level by prohibiting any person acting under state law from denying full faith and credit to an out-of-state marriage based on the sex, race, ethnicity, or national origin of the people in the marriage.
###