Respect for Marriage Act
This act provides statutory authority for same-sex and interracial marriages.
Specifically, the act replaces provisions that define, for purposes of federal law, marriage as between a man and a woman and spouse as a person of the opposite sex with provisions that recognize any marriage between two individuals that is valid under state law. (The Supreme Court held that the current provisions were unconstitutional in United States v. Windsor in 2013.)
The act also replaces provisions that do not require states to recognize same-sex marriages from other states with provisions that prohibit the denial of full faith and credit or any right or claim relating to out-of-state marriages on the basis of sex, race, ethnicity, or national origin. (The Supreme Court held that state laws barring same-sex marriages were unconstitutional in Obergefell v. Hodges in 2015; the Court held that state laws barring interracial marriages were unconstitutional in Loving v. Virginia in 1967.) The act allows the Department of Justice to bring a civil action and establishes a private right of action for violations.
The act does not (1) affect religious liberties or conscience protections that are available under the Constitution or federal law, (2) require religious organizations to provide goods or services to formally recognize or celebrate a marriage, (3) affect any benefits or rights that do not arise from a marriage, or (4) recognize under federal law any marriage between more than two individuals.
Social Work students need to understand how policies contribute to the oppression of gender and sexual orientation and how they impact the individual or population. This assignment will help you learn these concepts.
Access and view the “LGBTQ History in Government Documents: Timeline of Documents” timeline and find an era on the timeline that interests you.
In an essay (500-750 words), address the following:
• Describe the selected era/point on the timeline.
• Cite and briefly explain the article/document(s) the timeline attached to the era/point you selected.
• Reflect on that era and then relate it to your selected social issue. How does your selected social issue relate?
• What are the similarities regarding the systemic oppression and social policies? Refer to Social Work Disposition #7: Standard: Social Workers’ Ethical Responsibilities to Clients when responding to this prompt.