Washington, D.C. — It was a joyous scene inside Nellie’s Bar last week as the Washington Capitals managed to stave off elimination in a heated game 6 against the New York Rangers. But for the patrons of what is generally considered to be D.C.’s best, and gayest, sports bar, the real cause for celebration had come earlier in the day.
In a strictly-controlled exclusive interview with ABC News, President Obama announced that he supported equal marriage rights for same-sex couples. The move came after Joe Biden had made a characteristic off-the-cuff remark on Meet the Press a few days earlier, stating that he had no problem when it came to same-sex marriage, and unwittingly forcing Obama to finally take a stand on the issue.
Read More: Obama Supports Same-Sex Marriage
Long derided for what many saw as an evasive and weak answer that he was “evolving” on the issue of gay marriage, Obama had lost further support in the gay community after recently refusing to issue an executive order that would have prevented discrimination in hiring practices for federal workers. However, after the events of last week, all that has changed, and there is a legitimate sentiment that gay rights may even be the greatest legacy of Obama’s administration. But, how much does the President’s support really mean in the push towards equal rights for gays and lesbians?
With no stated plans put forth by the administration to propose any sort of legislation or interfere with state laws regarding gay marriage rights, there has been a tendency for some in the media to criticize the praise of the president as another Nobel Prize-esque affair. (An award he won seemingly on the basis of having good intentions).
“It reinforces his brand as a politician,” said Mara Liasson, National Political Correspondent for NPR, in a recent interview with All Things Considered. “It fits in very well with his message of equality and fairness.” Indeed, as Liasson points out, there is always a political angle that has been carefully examined before any decision by the President, let alone one as big as this. It would be naïve however, to think that this move was done as a ploy for votes. Rather, it was most likely planned with the consideration of how many votes it would cost the President, rather than gain.
A Gallup poll of American voters taken after the announcement revealed that while over 60 per cent of independents say it will have no impact on how they vote, around 23 per cent said that it will make them less likely to vote for Obama. This is not an insignificant number, especially when it comes to swing state voters that will play a key part in November’s election. On the other hand, there are those like Noam Scheiber at The New Republic, who make the case that it’s Romney who will suffer at the ballot, as Obama’s declaration forces the already awkward candidate into an even more uncomfortable position.
But while the debate over the realpolitik of Obama’s stance will carry on indefinitely, it’s important not to understate what a watershed moment this is for the gay community. As recently as the late eighties, the gay marriage debate simply was nonexistent. Far from a hot button election issue, it was a barely discussed notion that was being pushed into the public eye through the excellent work of journalists like Andrew Sullivan and Michael Kinsley, as well as gay rights activists across the nation.
The fact that in such a short time, gay marriage can become something supported by a majority of Americans and the President himself is nothing short of remarkable. It’s a testament to how far things have come, and an encouragement to gay rights activists to not stop fighting. Indeed, there is much left to fight for; as gay and lesbians in America are still deprived of many rights afforded to heterosexuals, from hospital visitation rights for their partners, to simply being able to donate blood.
It is, therefore, undoubtedly a victory that Obama made his announcement, but it’s hardly to be considered a championship. There’s still a long road ahead for tangible reform when it comes to gay rights in America, but after last week, one that is decidedly more hopeful.
“Thanks for coming out” signaled last call at Nellie’s bar as the last happy few Caps’ fans poured out into the rain, “and if it’s your first time here, it gets better.”
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Nick Robins-Early is a freelance journalist currently based in Washington, D.C. Follow him @nickrobinsearly.
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