Scroll To Top
Women

WATCH: Obama Hopes Supreme Court Makes 'Right Decision' on Marriage Equality

WATCH: Obama Hopes Supreme Court Makes 'Right Decision' on Marriage Equality

WATCH: Obama Hopes Supreme Court Makes 'Right Decision' on Marriage Equality

In a series of interviews with popular YouTube stars, the president expressed cautious optimism about the future of marriage equality nationwide.

sunnivie

Following his historic State of the Union address earlier this week, President Barack Obama welcomed a trio of popular YouTube creators to the White House for a series of sit-down interviews with questions dictated by the YouTubers' audience. 

The president was not advised of the questions ahead of time, and he faced inquiries about national and cyber security, marijuana, police brutality and racial bias, relations with Cuba, and, thanks to comedian GloZell Green, a query about the future of marriage equality. 

Green, whose YouTube channel has more than 3.3 million subscribers, asked the president if he believes same-sex marriage will become the law of the land in all 50 states before he leaves office. She noted that the question "depends on the Supreme Court," which recently announced it will hear marriage equality cases from four states and issue a decision that could determine the fate of marriage equality nationwide.

After extolling his administration's support for marriage equality — from refusing to defend the Defense of Marriage Act to the president's personal "evolution" to support marriage equality in 2012 — Obama got down to speculating. 

"My hope is that they go ahead and recognize what I think the majority of people in America now recognize, which is two people who love each other and are treating each other with respect and aren’t bothering anybody else, why would the law treat them differently?” the president said. 

Green agreed, asking "Why? I mean why?"

"There’s no good reason for it," Obama added. "And so as a consequence, I’m hopeful the Supreme Court comes to the right decision. But I will tell you, people's hearts have opened up on this issue. I think people know that treating folks unfairly, even if you don't agree with their lifestyle choice, the fact of the matter is, they're not bothering you. Let them live their lives. And under the law, they should be treated equally. 

"As far as me personally," the president concluded, "just to see all the loving gay and lesbian couples that I know are great parents and great partners, the idea that we would not treat them like the brothers and sisters that they are, that doesn't make any sense to me."

Watch the trio of interviews below, with Green's marriage equality question coming at the 23:45 mark.

 

30 Years of Out100Out / Advocate Magazine - Jonathan Groff and Wayne Brady

From our Sponsors

Most Popular

Latest Stories

author avatar

Sunnivie Brydum

<p>Sunnivie is an award-winning journalist and the managing editor at&nbsp;<em>The Advocate</em>. A proud spouse and puppy-parent, Sunnivie strives to queer up the world of reporting while covering the politics of equality daily.</p>

<p>Sunnivie is an award-winning journalist and the managing editor at&nbsp;<em>The Advocate</em>. A proud spouse and puppy-parent, Sunnivie strives to queer up the world of reporting while covering the politics of equality daily.</p>