Obama becomes first US president to publicly support same-sex marriage
Ohio Standard Thursday 10th May, 2012
• Obama is first US president to support gay marriage publicly
• Says his perception has evolved over the years
• Obama says his family is an influential factor in his perception
WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama has backed same-sex marriage in a move hailed by Democrats, gay rights activists and others as the one that will be a point of reference for civil rights in America.
"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 to ABC's Robin Roberts.
This is for the first time in the history of the US that any president has publicly expressed support for gay marriage.
Obama said his thinking over the issue had evolved over the years by watching members of his staff committed in gay relationships and also by thinking about "soldiers or airmen or marines or sailors who are out there fighting on my behalf and yet feel constrained".
He said his family -- wife Michelle and daughters Malla and Sasha -- were also the influential factors in his change of heart.
"You know, Malia and Sasha, they have friends whose parents are same-sex couples," Obama said.
"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.
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