President Barack Obama says he's still
“wrestling” and “evolving” on gay marriage.
Before he signed repeal of “Don't
Ask, Don't Tell” on Wednesday, the
president spoke with gay glossy The Advocate.
In the wide-ranging interview, Obama
praised Congress for repealing the 1993 law that bans gay and
bisexual troops from serving openly. He said that he is “incredibly
proud.”
The president made headlines in October
when he told a gay blogger, Joe Sudbay of Americablog.com, that gay
marriage is an issue “I think a lot about.”
“I have been to this point unwilling
to sign on to same-sex marriage primarily because of my
understandings of the traditional definitions of marriage,” Obama
told Sudbay.
“But I also think you're right that
attitudes evolve, including mine.”
“And I think that it is an issue that
I wrestle and think about because I have a whole host of friends who
are in gay partnerships. I have staff members who are in committed,
monogamous relationships, who are raising children, who are wonderful
parents.”
“I think it's fair to say that it's
something that I think a lot about,” he added.
On Wednesday, he reiterated his
statement, saying only that he continues to “wrestle” with the
issue.
“The sentiment I expressed then is
still where I am – which is, like a lot of people, I'm wrestling
with this,” Obama said. “My attitudes are evolving on this. I
have always firmly believed in having a robust civil union that
provides the rights and benefits under the law that marriage does.
I've wrestled with the fact that marriage traditionally has had a
different connotation. But I also have a lot of very close friends
who are married gay or lesbian couples.”