TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — President Biden signed the Respect for Marriage Act which codified same-sex and interracial marriage protections on Tuesday.
The legislation received bipartisan support when it passed through the Senate and the House.
RELATED: Senate passes bill that would protect same-sex and interracial marriages
Even though same-sex marriage became legal in 2015, the bill adds protections to current same-sex marriages if Obergefell v. Hodges was to be overturned and states changed their marriage laws.
“To a growing degree, they looked like marriage ceremonies and with, you know, taking vows, the exchange of rings, offering of prayer for the couple, all with a backdrop of readings from Holy Scripture,” said David Benedict Hedges, an Episcopal Rector at St. Michael and All Angels Church.
Hedges said he remembers a time when the Episcopal church would give blessings to same-sex couples and preform ceremonies for them, but their marriage wasn’t legal.
“Dan and I, when we got married, the first second we were legally allowed to get married, which is when ‘Don't Ask, Don't Tell’ got repealed on September 20, 2011,” said Gary Ross.
Dan and Gary Ross have been together for 20 years. More than half of their marriage was kept a secret because of the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy.
Gary Ross was serving in the U.S. Navy and under the policy, he wasn’t allowed to be openly gay.
Gary and his husband, Dan, got married in Vermont—one of the only states that married same-sex couples in 2011. They got married right at 12:01 on September 20, 2011.
“When you think about how many white lies a gay or lesbian service member had to give throughout the month, throughout the day, just to not tell they were gay. On a daily basis, I was probably lying 20 plus times. Dan became Danielle,” said Gary.
“We wanted to get married the first second we could, we'd waited too long,” said Dan.
When they returned to Tucson after getting married, their marriage wasn’t treated like every other marriage.
“It turned out to be a really wonderful experience, but then to come back here to Arizona, you know, our marriage wasn't recognized anymore,” said Dan.
“Dan would have to go to Mexico to get healthcare, because while I was an officer serving this country in the U.S. Navy, we couldn't afford health care in our own country. So instead of being worried about the defense of my ship, that was my job, I was in charge of the defense of one of our $2.3 billion warships--I'm worried about whether my husband's able to go down to Mexico and get medical procedures performed,” said Gary.
The two joined a lawsuit suing the U.S. Attorney General, Secretary of Defense and Secretary of the VA for the Defense of Marriage Act. This law banned federal recognition of same-sex marriage.
By the signing of the Respect for Marriage Act, this officially erases the Defense of Marriage Act.
“I never dreamed when I met Gary, that we'd ever get married in our lifetime,” said Dan.
“I'm amazed at how far we've come and in my lifetime and I hope that, you know, we can continue to make progress in light of some of the recent decisions that have been made that could potentially affect us,” he added.
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Faith Abercrombie is a reporter for KGUN 9. Before coming to KGUN, Faith worked as a videographer for the Phoenix Children's Hospital Foundation and as a reporter and producer on the youth suicide documentary, "Life is..." on Arizona PBS.
Share your story ideas with Faith by emailing faith.abercrombie@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, or Twitter.
