WASHINGTON — With the justices of the Supreme Court looking on, President Barack Obama took time in his inaugural speech to address gay equality — the first such mention in a presidential inaugural address in the nation's history.
Leaning toward the issue of how the country treats same-sex couples' relationships, Obama said, "Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law — for if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well."
The justices are slated to hear two cases this term addressing same-sex couples' marriage rights — a challenge to the Defense of Marriage Act and a challenge to California's Proposition 8 marriage amendment.