Secret gay wedding took place at White House before Obama supported equality
Two men secretly married in the White House – before Barack Obama officially supported same-sex marriage.
Former White House speechwriter Jon Lovett revealed that he secretly officiated a wedding in the famous residence, while Barack Obama was still officially ‘evolving’ on the issue.
Mr Lovett, who left the White House in 2011 and later became a screenwriter on show The Newsroom, told Aspen Ideas Festival that he performed a secret marriage on a ‘tour’ for two friends several years ago.
Same-sex marriage became legal in DC in 2010 – but President Obama did not officially come out in favour of equality until May 2012.
Mr Lovett said: “I wrote speeches at a time when the Democratic position was basically ‘no thank you’ [to same-sex marriage]. Over time… it became more awkward to work on these speeches.
“I couldn’t ignore it when two of my best friends in the world, Steve and Justin, asked me to perform their wedding.”
The pair initially planned to marry in West Virginia – but Mr Lovett instead cooked up a plan to become a minister in DC, and sneakily marry the pair in the White House.
He said: “Steve and Justin and I walked through the double doors, into the ground floors of the West Wing, past the Situation Room, down the hall past the offices of the National Security Council, up the stairs by the cabinet room and the Oval Office, through the doors of the Colonnade that connect the offices of the West Wing to the stately rooms of the residence.
“We turned right down the stone path that jutted into the Rose Garden and then I said, ‘Steve do you take Justin to be your lawfully wedded husband? And Justin, do you take Steve?’
“We were very nervous. They were nervous because they were getting married. I was nervous because I snuck into my boss’ house to perform a wedding against his wishes in his backyard.
“You can say what you will about the first same-sex wedding to take place at the White House… at the very least it was quite rude.”
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