Outgoing President Joe Biden has honoured two LGBTQ+ marriage equality activists, Mary Bonauto and Evan Wolfson, with the Presidential Citizens Medal, which is the second highest honour that can be awarded to civilians “who has performed exemplary deeds or services for his or her country or fellow citizens.”
Bonauto, senior director of Civil Rights and Legal Strategies at GLAD Law, argued before the US Supreme Court in a landmark case, which led to marriage equality in all 50 states in 2015.
Wolfson, founder of the civil rights organisation Freedom to Marry, led the national strategy for legalising same-sex marriage. He worked to generate support across every state in the country, legalising it in as many states as possible, and ultimately laying the groundwork for the Supreme Court’s decision.
Bonauto said in a statement: “It is an astonishing honour to receive this recognition, and to be in the company of other incredible individuals who have had such a significant impact on the lives of Americans. The Presidential Citizens Medal represents something fundamental: that we each have a role to play in fulfilling our country’s promises of equality, dignity, and freedom.”
“I stand alongside so many courageous individuals who fought for the right to marry, and others across our nation who share a deep desire that all of our community members be treated with fairness and dignity. This recognition today is a testament to the profoundly positive impact marriage equality has had on individuals, families, and communities across our country.”
Wolfson added: “This Medal is a tribute to the transformative, democratic work we all did together, and to the power of hope, strategy, determination, and love. As we prepare to mark 10 years since the US Supreme Court ruling ensuring marriage for same-sex couples nationwide, I’m honoured to see the profoundly positive impact that the freedom to marry has had for so many families across the country, and for the LGBTQ+ community and American people as a whole.”
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