Under the advisory of President Barack Obama, Attorney General Eric Holder has sent a letter to Congress stating that the Department of Justice will no longer uphold the Defense of Marriage Act as constitutional. The 1996 law, which has served as a rationale for denying same-sex couples the same marital rights as those afforded to heterosexual couples, is now being considered unconstitutional by the president. No president has ever taken this stance, and the president’s statement sends a powerful message about the nation’s stance on social equality.

Though the president has long been opposed to the ban on gay marriage in America, many have criticized him for his relative silence on the issue. Though his rhetoric during his 2008 election campaign led many to believe he would quickly work to legalize same-sex marriage, Obama made few steps toward this goal since taking office. This move, however, sends a powerful message to Obama’s supporters and detractors. By taking such an initiative, particularly during the beginning of election season, Obama has shown that his values are more important than potentially isolating voters.

Such a stance is not common among first-term presidents. Though many in the past have advocated for social change, few have possessed the gall to follow through on such initiatives because of the fear associated with angering religious or conservative voters. Though many past democratic presidents have been opposed to the ban on gay marriage, none have taken the initiative that Obama has. By placing social equality over politics, Obama has in many ways become the lofty figure many had hoped he could be during his election campaign. As he has spent much time working on fixing the economy and working toward ending conflicts in the Middle East, Obama has let falter much of the social changes he promised to make. This movement, though one of many the president needs to make should he work to achieve the values he supports, is a strong shift in the right direction.

The history of gay marriage in America raises serious questions about the American political system. The fear that has prevented politicians from legalizing same-sex marriage in the past has also been applied to many other social issues. American drug laws are still based on outdated classifications, church and state are still very much blended, and tax laws are very much a result of politicians pandering to their bases. Despite the relative ease of solving many of these problems, politicians are far too often afraid to take controversial stances because of their constant anxieties about being reelected. Members of the House of Representatives are almost always in campaign-mode, Senators can very easily lose their seats if they are perceived as not strictly following their party’s platform, and first-term presidents fear the voter backlash associated with taking bold stances.

How will this change in our social stances impact Americans? Because same-sex marriage has never been supported in America, the negative stigma attached to such unions will not fade as quickly as the laws preventing them. Many Americans fervently oppose same-sex marriage because of religious reasons or fear of change, and this will not become change any time soon. GLBTQ Americans have long struggled for the same rights afforded to all other Americans, and their lack of success is a black mark on America’s history. Like the past and current oppressions impacting women and racial minorities, the laws preventing social equality for GLBTQ Americans are unjust and not defendable under the Constitution. Though people are justified in opposing same-sex marriage under whatever rationale they may choose, it is undeniable that a law preventing such marriages is unconstitutional. Religious values should not impact laws, which is why church and state are supposed to be separate.

With this shift in governmental policy, we may hope to see the social viewpoints of GLBTQ Americans follow the same paths toward acceptance and integration that those of racial minorities and women have taken. Though there are still numerous systematic problems impacting both of the aforementioned groups, it is undeniable that the average racial minority or woman in America is far better off than he or she would have been a hundred years ago. Though there is much progress yet to be made, that which has taken place has been positive. If such progression can begin for GLBTQ Americans, we may hope that negative social stigmas associated with this group may one day fade so that true equality can be reached.

For America to truly change and become socially equal, any transition must begin on the individual level. Though Obama’s declaration sends a powerful and resounding message to America and to the world, the many who will continue to oppose same-sex marriage will continue to be vocal in their opposition. Our nation has many social issues that need to be changed on a legal level, but until individuals take the initiative to support policies of equality rather than those of comfort and convenience, no significant change will ever occur.