President Barack Obama stated his support for making same-sex marriage legal in a TV interview today, the first U.S. president in history to do so.
“It is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same-sex couples should be able to get married,” Obama said in an interview with ABC News this morning.
The declaration comes after two members of his administration also voiced support for same-sex marriage.
On the UCLA campus, members of the LGBT community immediately voiced enthusiasm for the pronouncement.
Lee Jasperse, a third-year English and psychology student, who was working on his computer in the library of the LGBT Resource Center today, said the announcement marks a step forward for the LGBT community.
He said Obama’s stance will likely mobilize LGBT voters in the upcoming election. He also wonders if a push for national legislation in support of the LGBT community is in store.
Diego Sepulveda, a recent UCLA graduate who identifies as queer, called the announcement “revolutionary.”
“I like that he looks into the humanity of all of us,” Sepulveda said.
Sepulveda said the announcement, reflecting a political push for votes, will set a precedent for future presidents.
Compiled by Olivia Hitchock, Bruin contributor.