Obama backs same-sex marriage

May 10, 2012 02:06

Barack Obama became the first US president today to say publicly he was in favour of same-sex marriage, in a high-stakes intervention in a pre-election debate roiling American politics.

In what supporters will hail as a historic moment in civil rights history, Obama changed his stance, after previously saying he was "evolving" on gay marriage, a fiercely divisive issue in US politics. "I've just concluded, for me, personally, it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same-sex couples should be able to get married," Obama said in an interview with ABC News.

Obama, who had previously backed strong protections for gay and lesbian couples, said his position had evolved partly after talking to his two daughters Malia and Sasha who had some friends who had same-sex parents.

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