Atlanta councilmembers laud federal protections for marriage equality
Several members of Atlanta City Council recently commended President Joe Biden after he signed the Respect for Marriage Act.
The Respect for Marriage Act requires the federal government to recognize and protect same-sex and interracial marriages nationwide. It’s essentially designed to be a safeguard in case the Supreme Court of the United States decides to overturn its 2015 decision in Obergefell v. Hodges.
Atlanta’s four openly LGBTQIA+ City councilmembers — Liliana Bakhtiari, Keisha Sean Waites, Alex Wan, and Matt Westmoreland — applauded Biden and Congress for the law in a statement on Wednesday.
Councilman Westmoreland said the federal law is a moving affirmation for tens of millions of life partners, and a poignant blow to bigotry. Waites said the bill is a huge step in ensuring greater protections within marriage, including recognitions of next of kin in a medical emergency.
“This legislation brings a greater sense of stability and hope for the LGBTQ+ community, which is such a welcomed level of change and progress in our country,” Waites said.
Fellow councilmembers Alex Wan agreed and Liliana Bakhtiari shared similar sentiments. But they also said there is more work ahead to ensure greater equality for all. Wan encouraged the public to continue to push and advocate for change.
“As the cradle of the civil rights movement, the fight toward a more perfect union is deeply woven throughout the fabric of our community,” said Bakhtiari. “While we hail this moment for the milestone that it is, we recognize that this is just a drop in the bucket. We reaffirm our commitment to protect the rights, liberties, and freedoms for all who call Atlanta home.”
About the Author
Wilborn P. Nobles III covers Atlanta City Hall for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He began covering DeKalb County Schools for The AJC in November 2020. He previously covered Baltimore County for The Baltimore Sun and education for the Times-Picayune in New Orleans. He interned at the Washington Post. He graduated from Louisiana State University.
