President Joe Biden shared a personal anecdote from his childhood on Monday night, as he departed the White House after a trip to Houston. A reporter asked about his legacy on LGBTQ issues, prompting Biden to reflect on his upbringing and the values instilled in him by his father.
Biden recalled a specific incident from his youth, when his father was dropping him off to obtain a lifeguard license in Wilmington, Delaware. As they arrived at Rodney Square, the city’s central hub, Biden witnessed two men from the DuPont and Hercules companies embracing and kissing each other. This was a new experience for the young Biden, and he turned to his father for guidance.
“My dad said, ‘Joey, it’s simple. They love each other,'” Biden recounted. “That’s my position.” The president’s story aimed to convey his long-held acceptance of same-sex relationships, which he claimed was shaped by his father’s words of wisdom.
However, Biden’s past statements on gay marriage paint a more nuanced picture. During a 2008 vice presidential debate against Sarah Palin, Biden stated that he and then-President Barack Obama did not support redefining marriage from a civil perspective. It wasn’t until 2012, when Obama was running for re-election, that Biden publicly shifted his stance and expressed support for gay marriage.
Biden’s evolution on this issue has been well-documented, and his recent comments have sparked renewed interest in his legacy on LGBTQ rights. While his childhood story suggests a long-held acceptance of same-sex relationships, his past actions and statements reveal a more complex and evolving position on the issue.
