US: Bill Clinton to pay tribute to gay rights heroes in televised message
Bill Clinton is to back gay rights in a televised message this week, to mark the first anniversary of the repeal of DOMA.
The former US President will appear Thursday to introduce a documentary on Logo, Trailblazers, marking the one year anniversary of the repeal of the Defence of Marriage Act.
According to the New York Times, Clinton will say he was “honoured and grateful to be among the voices urging” for the Supreme Court to strike down DOMA – which he himself signed in 1996 – banning federal recognition of same-sex marriages.
Praising plaintiff Edith Windsor and lawyer Roberta A. Kaplan, he will say: “As marriage equality spreads across the states, the number of people impacted by these two amazing women will only continue to grow.”
Clinton publicly backed the repeal of DOMA last year, writing “it was a very different time” when the legislation was passed.
His comments come after his wife came under scrutiny for her own stance on same-sex marriage.
Former secretary of state Hillary Clinton, who is strongly rumoured to be running for President in 2016, earlier this month shot down a radio host who questioned her late support for same-sex marriage.
She said: “I think you are being very persistent, but you are playing with my words and playing with what is such an important issue.
“I think you’re trying to say I used to be opposed and now I’m in favour and I did it for political reasons, and that’s just flat wrong.”
