It repeals previous legislation defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman. And prohibits civil registrars – regardless of the state in which they work – to discriminate against couples “because of their sex, race, ethnicity or origin”. It is the law that the American Congress adopted this Thursday and which protects the marriage between person of the same sex in the whole of the United States.
The text, called “Respect for Marriage Act”, had already been approved by the Senate last week and was voted on by all elected Democrats and 39 Republicans. If 169 members of the “Grand Old Party” opposed it, US President Joe Biden himself pledged to promulgate it without delay.
Unions between gay or lesbian people have been guaranteed by the United States Supreme Court since 2015. But after the high court’s historic reversal on abortion last June, many progressives fear that this right will also be unraveled. Already, the temple of law seems ready to authorize certain American businesses to refuse to serve same-sex couples, in the name of freedom of expression. He could decide in this direction as early as this summer.
