麻州候任州長Maura Healey為「尊重婚姻法」簽署發聲明

   (Boston Orange 編譯) 麻州候任州長奚莉 (Maura Healey) 在美國總統 (Joe Biden)簽署「尊重婚姻法 (Respect for Marriage Act) 」後發表聲明，說明2009年她還是總檢察長辦公室民權處處長時，就成功領導了全美第一次的「婚姻保護法 (DOMA)」州級挑戰，為全美的婚姻平等鋪路。

剛締造歷史，當選為全美第一個女同性戀州長，也是麻州第一位女性州長暨同性州長的奚莉指出，「尊重婚姻法」廢止了「婚姻保護法」，也為同性戀伴侶編纂了其他保護。

奚莉說，「當我們起初挑戰「婚姻保護法」時，許多人都懷疑我們能夠成功。但是我們知道，那太重要了，我們不能不全力以赴。我們把這陳情案一路帶到最高法院去，而且我們贏了，為全國的婚姻平等鋪了路。我從來沒想到10年多之後，我們那麼努力爭取來的那些權益，會受到那些極端主義者的威脅，想要把我們所推動的進步倒退回去。

            「那就是為什麼「尊重婚姻法」是那麼要緊。它一勞永逸的廢止了「婚姻保護法」。它保證了你的婚姻會被承認，而且不論你愛的是誰，在全國都會受尊重，我感謝拜登總統和國會領導能夠堅持到最後。我更加感謝所有分享自己故事，大聲發言，從不放棄為真正平等奮鬥的同性戀夥伴。我也感謝我的聯合律師Mary Bonauto，一名帶領這場爭取平等婚姻戰鬥的開拓者，從Goodridge到DOMA，到Obergefell，以及其他。我們做到了。

Governor-elect Maura Healey Issues Statement on Signing of Respect for Marriage Act

Healey led the first successful state challenge to DOMA, was recently elected one of the first lesbian Governors in the country

BOSTON – Massachusetts Governor-elect and Attorney General Maura Healey, who recently made history when she was elected one of the country’s first lesbian Governors and Massachusetts’ first woman and LGBTQ person elected Governor, issued a statement following President Biden’s signing of the Respect for Marriage Act. As Chief of the Civil Rights Division in the Attorney General’s Office, Healey led the country’s  first successful state challenge to the Defense of Marriage Act in 2009, paving the way for marriage equality nationwide. The Respect for Marriage Act repeals DOMA, as well as codifying other protections for LGBTQ+ couples.

“When we first challenged the Defense of Marriage Act, many people doubted that we would be successful. But we knew it was too important not to give it everything we had. We brought that case all the way to the Supreme Court and we won, laying the groundwork for marriage equality nationwide. I never imagined that more than a decade later, those rights that we fought so hard to secure would come under threat by extremists who want to roll back the progress we’ve made.

“That’s why the Respect for Marriage Act is so essential. It repeals DOMA once and for all. It guarantees that your marriage will be recognized and respected across the country, no matter who you love. I’m grateful to President Biden and Congressional leaders for seeing this through, and I’m especially grateful to all of the LGBTQ+ couples who shared their stories, made their voices heard and never gave up the fight for true equality. I’m also thinking of my co-counsel Mary Bonauto, a trailblazer who has led this fight for marriage equality, from Goodridge to the DOMA challenge to Obergefell and beyond. We did it.”