Hillary Clinton Gay Marriage Video Gives Boost to Marriage Equality

Hillary Clinton has announced that she endorses gay marriage via a video released by the Human Rights Campaign’s “Americans for Marriage Equality. As she spoke directly into the camera, Clinton cited her personal experience as Secretary of State traveling around the world advocating for human rights. She also cited that not all world leaders agreed with her position. When she ran for President in 2008, Clinton opposed gay marriage. However, now that it has become one of the cornerstones of the Democratic party she has changed her views. Although both Bill and Chelsea Clinton spported gay marriage while Secretary Clinton served in President Obama’s cabinet.  

In her statement, Clinton spoke about her own daughter’s marriage and said, “I wish every parent the same joy. To deny opportunity to our own daughters and sons solely based on the basis of who they are and who they love is to deny them the chance to live up to their own God-given potential.”

She further went on to say that her role on the world stage and her devotion to law and human rights had guided her principles towards this decision both personally and as a matter of policy and law.

This statement could have major implications for Clinton’s potential presidential bid in 2016. Prospective opponents Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo have pushed legislation through their own cabinets that uphold gay marriage. When Governor Cuomo passed the gay marriage law in New York in June of 2011, Clinton was careful with her words, as a representative of the Obama administration, but called the initiative historic.

Clinton continued in her own historic announcement affirming that “LGBT Americans are our colleagues, our teachers, our soldiers, our friends, our loved ones. And they are full and equal citizens and deserve the rights of citizenship. That includes marriage.That’s why I support marriage for lesbian and gay couples.”

The impact of her statement and its significance, shows that Clinton will continue to be a voice for the Democratic Party even though she currently holds no office.