NEWSPresident Barack Obama Supports Same-Sex Marriage — Ellen DeGeneres, Kim K & More React
May 9 2012, Published 7:46 a.m. ET
President Barack Obama has made a lot of people out there happy today as he admitted to ABC's Robin Roberts that he now fully supports gay marriage.
The President confessed that his take on the matter is "evolving" and that he now — thanks in part to his daughters Malia and Sasha and his countless visits to college campuses around the U.S. — has had "a change in perspective."
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"Over the course of several years as I have talked to friends and family and neighbors, when I think about members of my own staff who are in incredibly committed monogamous relationships, same-sex relationships, who are raising kids together, when I think about those soldiers or airmen or marines or sailors who are out there fighting on my behalf and yet feel constrained, even now that Don't Ask Don't Tell is gone, because they are not able to commit themselves in a marriage, at a certain point I've just concluded that for me, personally, it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same sex couples should be able to get married," President Obama announced today.
"Malia and Sasha, they have friends whose parents are same-sex couples," he added of his daughters, now 13 and 10. "There have been times where Michelle and I have been sitting around the dinner table and we're talking about their friends and their parents and Malia and Sasha, it wouldn't dawn on them that somehow their friends' parents would be treated differently. It doesn't make sense to them, and frankly, that's the kind of thing that prompts a change in perspective."
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This change in opinion has led many celebrities to take to Twitter to thank the President on sharing his newfound views and his support of same-sex marriage.
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"Bravo, Mr. President, and thank you," Neil Patrick Harris, who is married to his partner David Burtka, Tweeted. And Glee star Jane Lynch, who is openly gay, wrote, "Pretty darn happy today. Thanks Mr President, for supporting the dignity of my family and so many others."
Ellen DeGeneres made it a point to thank the President for his bravery, Tweeting, "Thank you President @BarackObama for your beautiful and brave words. I'm overwhelmed." And Chris Colfer "seconded" that.
Read some of the other touching messages stars had for Barack Obama below:
"THANK YOU MR. PRESIDENT" - Andy Cohen
"I applaud President @barackobama for affirming that ALL Americans should enjoy equal rights. Historic! I will be a very proud host on Monday." - Ricky Martin
"POTUS & VPOTUS: turns out, gays & lesbians should have SAME rights as rest of the country,shouldn't be "3/5ths"citizens #evolved." - Kathy Griffin
"Proud to have a President who supports Equality. #Obama." - Michelle Trachtenberg
"Thank you, President Obama! No more living in the past!" - Kim Kardashian
