President Joe Biden is facing backlash on Twitter after sharing a personal story about his "epiphany" on same-sex marriage during an interview with Kal Penn on Comedy Central's "The Daily Show."
Biden spoke about his personal evolution on same-sex marriage and what he can do to protect LGBTQ Americans and transgender kids from "regressive" laws. He said, "I can remember exactly when my epiphany was. I was a senior in high school and my dad was dropping me off. I remember about to get out of the car, and I looked to my right and two well-dressed men in suits kissed each other."
According to Biden, he turned to his father, who said, "Joey, it's simple. They love each other."
Biden's story has come under scrutiny from Twitter users who cast doubt on the story's authenticity and recalled Biden's lengthy political history of opposition toward same-sex marriage. Many criticized Biden for his past votes in support of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), a law that prevented same-sex couples from receiving the same benefits as other married couples under federal law.
GOP political director Elliot Echols tweeted, "Joe Biden has never let the truth get in the way of a good story," while The Dispatch editor-in-chief Jonah Goldberg said, "So he's basically admitting he lied about a moral conviction for the next five decades? How heroic."
Mark Hemingway, a senior writer at RealClearInvestigations, also criticized Biden for his past support of DOMA, tweeting, "Remember when the media made a big production of being incensed by all of Trump's lies? I’m beginning to think that was insincere…"
Author AG Hamilton also pointed out Biden's past votes in support of DOMA, writing, "It will never not be weird that Biden simply lies about stuff like this constantly."
During the interview, Biden agreed with his father's words and asserted that he was not joking about the story. "It doesn't matter whether it's same-sex or heterosexual couple. They should be able to be married. What is the problem?" he said.
Biden's story comes after the recent passing of the Respect for Marriage Act, a law that intends to keep gay and interracial marriage legal should the U.S. Supreme Court reverse previous decisions.
Despite the backlash on Twitter, many LGBTQ advocates have applauded Biden's recent efforts to support the community. The Respect for Marriage Act has been widely praised as a necessary step in protecting the rights of LGBTQ Americans.
In a statement, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) said, "The passage of the Respect for Marriage Act ensures that same-sex couples will continue to enjoy the same protections and benefits afforded to all married couples, and sends a powerful message that love is love and discrimination has no place in our laws."
The Trevor Project, a national LGBTQ youth suicide prevention organization, also praised the passage of the Respect for Marriage Act, saying in a statement, "This historic legislation will help ensure that LGBTQ+ youth have the legal protections they need to thrive, including the right to marry the person they love."
Despite the criticisms on Twitter, Biden's efforts to support the LGBTQ community have been widely praised by advocates. The passage of the Respect for Marriage Act is seen as a major step forward in protecting the rights of LGBTQ Americans and ensuring that same-sex marriage remains legal in the United States.
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