Editor’s Note: Jared Sine is Chief Commercial and Legal Officer for Match Group. The views expressed in this review are his own.
One of the most important decisions a person can make in this life is who they choose to marry. This is certainly my most important and best decision because my wife, whose parents are first generation immigrants from Mexico City, has had such a huge positive impact on my life. I often think if I can’t choose to marry her, or because of the unjust laws that used to restrict interracial marriage, or changes in laws that may reduce in the future, or in the sacred religious edifice where we used to do so Do, what happens, the right to choose who, where and when we marry.
This is something I take for granted, and we have to remember that these rights are both fragile and important. In fact, most Americans will never understand the trauma that trans and LGBTQIA+ couples endure—from sidelines to senseless defamation—even though our laws have been interpreted by the courts to protect these marriages. I can only imagine how painful it will be for many of these couples now to wonder if their relationship is in jeopardy, subject to the whims of a future Supreme Court ruling. Just as I want my religious right to choose where to marry to be respected and my interracial marriage to be upheld, we must ensure that the same is true of our LGBTQIA+ friends and family, neighbors and colleagues. No marriage is safe unless everyone’s marriage rights are protected by bipartisan legislation.
Now, our elected leaders have an opportunity to do just that: to protect everyone’s right to marriage by passing the respect marriage laws in the Senate.this legislation Marriages will be protected regardless of “sex, race, ethnicity or national origin,” as long as they are legal in the state in which they occur, requiring them to be recognized under federal law. The House recently passed the proposed legislation with bipartisan support, and it is my sincere hope that the bill will have broad support across the political spectrum when it is considered in the Senate.
It’s encouraging that senators on both sides of the aisle are working tirelessly to get votes to pass this important bill. We applaud their courage and leadership on this issue and look forward to working with them to ensure this legislation becomes law. But some senators, including one from Texas, the state I proudly choose to call home and where my employer, Match Group, is based, have said they will not vote for it. Every vote counts, and I respectfully urge them to reconsider.
At Match Group, we want to be friends and allies, helping people of all backgrounds find the people who matter most to them; love and marry, whether based on their gender, race, religious preferences or beliefs. We are proud that our products have enabled millions of marriages and families around the world, including many LGBTQIA+ partners who may not be able to find each other.
Match Group strongly supports the passage of the Respect for Marriage Act and will launch a national campaign on Tinder this week, while human rights movement, to spotlight the many amazing LGBTQIA+ couples who have met on our platform, and urge the Senate to pass the bill. We remain committed to doing all we can to ensure that no American wonders if their right to be who they are and to love those they love will one day be taken away.
We call on every Senator, as a Texas-based company, to call on our Texas Senators to support and pass the Respect for Marriage Act. It’s about fairness for all, so let’s do what’s right for all Americans.
