When the Atlanta City Council passed a resolution showing support for marriage equality last week, the city’s mayor, Kasim Reed, struggled with supporting it.
“I respect President Obama’s decision to stand in support of marriage equality. I have fought hard for the rights of gays and lesbians my entire political career from protecting adoption rights for gay and lesbian families, to voting against Georgia’s constitutional ban on same-sex marriage as a state senator, to serving as the state house sponsor for the only hate crimes bill ever passed in the state of Georgia,” Reed said in a statement at the time. “While I am still wrestling with my own personal beliefs on the issue of marriage, I deeply appreciate the contributions gays and lesbians make to our city every single day and I remain committed to Atlanta’s vibrant and diverse LGBT community.”
However, after a week of deep reflection, the mayor has come around on the issue and signed the resolution that was passed last week while announcing his support.
“Today marks an important day as I announce my support for marriage equality,” said Mayor Reed. “It is well known that I have gone through a good bit of reflection on this issue, but listening to the stories of so many people that I know and care about has strengthened my belief that marriage is a fundamental right for everyone. Loving couples, regardless of their sexual orientation, should have the right to marry whomever they want. By signing this resolution, I pledge my support to marriage equality for same-sex couples, consistent with equal protection under the law provided under the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution.”
In a city so rich in the LGBT community, his lack of support for equality has played a harmful role during his political trail. In the 2009 mayoral election that was expected to be a landslide, he barely beat Mary Norwood, who supported marriage equality, and the mayor’s reluctance to endorse possibly kept him from a speaking role at this year’s Democratic National Convention.
The switch also timely comes as Reed prepares to run next year for a second term as Atlanta’s chief executive.
Regardless of his motives, it’s better to have mayoral support from one of the country’s leading cities than not, and we hope to see the city of Atlanta fight for marriage equality in not only the state of Georgia, but the country as a whole.
Brittny Drye is the senior editor at Equally Wed, the nation’s premier online magazine for gay and lesbian weddings and honeymoons. Follow her on Twitter @BrittnyDrye.
