When President Barack Obama entered office in 2009, his stance on marriage equality was considerably noncommittal. Only as the 2012 election approached did he publicly announce his endorsement of same-sex marriage, becoming the first sitting president in US history to do so.
Leading the charge, however, was Vice President Joe Biden, who nationally declared his support of marriage equality three days prior, ushering Obama into a second term.
Now, as the president prepares for his White House exit in January, Biden is taking full advantage of reinstating his support for key political issues, including gay rights.
One year following the legalization of gay marriage, Biden officiated the marriage of two White House officials at his Washington, D.C. home.
According to sources, the VP obtained a temporary license to marry Director of Oval Office Operations Brian Mosteller and Joe Mashie, a trip coordinator for Michelle Obama. Biden tweeted a picture of the special moment, referring to the men as “two great guys,” whom he was “proud” to marry.
The vice president’s week heated up with a cameo appearance on NBC’s crime drama “Law & Order: SVU,” which is heading into its 18th season on air.
A longtime supporter of women’s rights and an authority against sexual assault, Biden met “SVU” actress Mariska Hartigay earlier this year at a gala for the Joyful Heart Foundation, a national organization created by Hartigay, which aims to help “sexual assault survivors heal and reclaim a sense of joy in their lives.”
In the upcoming episode, Biden works alongside Hartigay, aka Detective Olivia Benson, in her investigation of a backlog of rape kits. It is set to air September 28.
