Obama Urges IL Lawmakers to Legalize Gay Marriage

Barack Obama has endorsed marriage equality in his home state of Illinois.

White House spokesman Shin Inouye told the Chicago Sun-Times’ Lynn Sweet Sunday that the president “believes in treating everyone fairly and equally, with dignity and respect” and that, were he still a member of the Illinois state legislature, “he would support this measure that would treat all Illinois couples equally.”

Obama’s endorsement comes a month before state legislators plan on bringing a bill to the floor. Passage of the bill would make Illinois the 10th state to allow same sex marriage.

The tides have turned. Poll after poll have shown public opinion rapidly shifting in support of same sex marriage. In November, three states voted for marriage equality, Washington, Maine and Maryland.

Read the full article from the Huffington Post here.