Former GOP congresswoman: Time has shown being for gay rights puts you on the right side of history | Opinion

In October of 2011, the Sun Sentinel reported that “the religious right” was “going after” me. The reason, the article explained, was that I was “the first Republican in Congress to co-sponsor legislation to repeal the federal ban on gay marriage called the Defense of Marriage Act.”

At the time, I was branded by some members of my own party as “anti-family” and an “extremist.” Thirteen years later, time has rendered its verdict on the profound impact that the legalization of same-sex marriage has had on our society. It is one that has yielded stronger families and a more inclusive, prosperous nation.

In its landmark Windsor v. United States decision issued on June 27, 2013, the Supreme Court ruled that the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) was unconstitutional and that the federal government cannot discriminate against married same-sex couples for the purposes of determining federal benefits and protections. Writing for the majority, Justice Anthony Kennedy stated: “The history of DOMA’s enactment and its own text demonstrate that interference with the equal dignity of same-sex marriages, a dignity conferred by the States in the exercise of their sovereign power, was more than an incidental effect of the federal statute. It was its essence.”

Then, in 2015, the Supreme Court’s decision in Obergefell v. Hodges further transformed our legal landscape, affirming that marriage is a fundamental right guaranteed to all Americans. This landmark ruling not only brought relief to countless couples who had long been denied the freedom to marry but also signaled a broader cultural shift toward acceptance and equality. Since that time, public support for marriage equality has surged. Recent polls indicate that more than 70% of Americans now support the right of same-sex couples to marry — a stark contrast to the contentious debates and narrow margins of support we saw one decade ago.

This groundswell of public approval transcends political division and affiliations. Republicans and Democrats alike have increasingly recognized that supporting marriage equality aligns with core American values of liberty, justice and the pursuit of happiness. This culminated in strong, bipartisan passage of the Respect for Marriage Act in 2022.

To be sure, the arguments available to the dwindling ranks of those who oppose legal marriage for same-sex couples are narrower than they were in 2011. Where it was once possible to speculate about the perceived consequences of extending legal status to same-sex couples, the results are now clear.

In a recently released study detailing the findings of 96 empirical studies conducted over the past 25 years, the RAND Corporation concluded that nationwide legal recognition afforded same-sex couples via Obergefell and the Respect for Marriage Act has yielded “consistently positive” results for same-sex couples, straight couples, children and society at large.

Same-sex couples and their families now enjoy access to health care, inheritance rights and parental rights — protections that are essential for the stability and well-being of families. Children raised in households where their parents are legally married experience the same societal recognition and support as their peers, fostering a sense of security and belonging. Extending legal recognition to same-sex couples also impacts state-level adoption rates, which rise as much as 6% after marriage between same-sex partners becomes legal.

Moreover, the recognition of same-sex marriage has had a positive economic impact. In the years leading up to the Windsor and Obergefell decisions, same-sex households were more likely to move out of states that prevented them from marrying. In the years since, companies that champion equality and diversity have tended to attract top talent and foster more inclusive and innovative workplace cultures. As more and more states legalized marriage for same-sex couples, the market value of companies headquartered in those states rose “immediately and significantly,” according to RAND researchers.

Independent studies further conclude that many of the economic, familial and societal benefits emanating from the expansion of the freedom to marry would likely be wiped away if Obergefell were to be overturned. The fight for equality is far from over, but the legalization of same-sex marriage stands as a beacon of what we can achieve when we come together to uphold the dignity of every individual and the values that define us as a nation.

Our nation is stronger and more vibrant when every individual is granted the freedom to pursue happiness. By recognizing the importance of equal rights for LGBTQ Americans, Republicans are not abandoning their principles, but rather demonstrating their commitment to a more just and equitable society. Indeed, time continues to demonstrate that support for LGBTQ equality is not a departure from conservative values, but a natural extension of them.

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen served for almost 30 years in Congress representing South Florida.