On the anniversary of Obergefell v. Hodges, DNC Chair Jaime Harrison, DNC Secretary Jason Rae, and LGBTQ Caucus Chair Earl Fowlkes released the following statement: 

“The right to marry who you love is more than a signature on paper. It’s the right to visit your spouse in the hospital, receive family leave, celebrate your love, and have equal protection under the law. For decades, LGBTQ+ couples didn’t share these critical and necessary rights. However, Obergefell v. Hodges changed that, and after years of struggle and perseverance, the right to marry who you love was finally recognized. 

“While we celebrate that victory, we must be vigilant of the threats that loom. The Supreme Court, including Trump’s conservative appointees, proved in their devastating Dobbs decision that our rights can be ripped away just as quickly as they’re won. While the Biden-Harris administration builds on the victory of the Obergefell decision to strengthen LGBTQ+ equality, MAGA Republicans across the country are launching an assault against the rights of the LGBTQ+ community. In 2023 alone, over 520 anti-LGBTQ+ bills were introduced in state legislatures, making it clear that MAGA Republicans want to turn back the clock on the progress we have made. 

“As long as Democrats are in office, we will continue to stand up for the LGTBQ+ community to ensure every Americans’ rights, freedoms, and lives are protected. We will fight to defend marriage equality so that it is always the law of the land. And on November 5, we will vote for the only candidates in this race committed to the safety, dignity, and respect of the LGTBQ+ community: President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.”