Janet Napolitano Mum on Marriage Equality
This morning, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano spoke at the Center for American Progress.
After a submitted question about marriage equality was not selected to be asked of the secretary, Metro Weekly posed the question to Napolitano directly as she was leaving the event.
“Do you support marriage equality?”
She looked at the questioner, did not answer, and moved to stand in the back of the elevator behind her accompanying security and other staff until the doors closed in front of her.
On Monday, Education Secretary Arne Duncan became the second member of the president’s cabinet to publicly state his support for marriage equality. In November 2011, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan was the first sitting cabinet member to announce such support and did so in an interview with Metro Weekly.
In 2008, as governor of Arizona, Napolitano had opposed the state’s constitutional marriage amendment, which banned same-sex couples from marrying, because she believed it was unnecessary. At the same time, however, she reiterated her opposition to marriage equality.
Support Metro Weekly’s Journalism
These are challenging times for news organizations. And yet it’s crucial we stay active and provide vital resources and information to both our local readers and the world. So won’t you please take a moment and consider supporting Metro Weekly with a membership? For as little as $5 a month, you can help ensure Metro Weekly magazine and MetroWeekly.com remain free, viable resources as we provide the best, most diverse, culturally-resonant LGBTQ coverage in both the D.C. region and around the world. Memberships come with exclusive perks and discounts, your own personal digital delivery of each week’s magazine (and an archive), access to our Member's Lounge when it launches this fall, and exclusive members-only items like Metro Weekly Membership Mugs and Tote Bags! Check out all our membership levels here and please join us today!
