President Joe Biden signed the Respect for Marriage Act on Tuesday, protecting same-sex and interracial marriage under federal law. To celebrate the move, Cyndi Lauper and Sam Smith appeared at the White House signing ceremony to perform “True Colors” and “Stay With Me,” respectively.
“This time, love wins,” Lauper said before kicking into “True Colors.” Without a backing track, the artist belted out her famous “Don’t be afraid” refrain supported only by acoustic guitar and a dulcimer. Toward the end of the performance, after a long high note, the audience broke into applause before Lauper, fist in the air, said, “Power to all the people.”
Released in 1986, Lauper has said “True Colors” was partly inspired by her friend Gregory Natal, who passed away due to complications from HIV/AIDS. In 2008, she founded the True Colors Fund, a nonprofit focused on eradicating LGBTQ+ youth homelessness.
Meanwhile, Smith and their backing band appeared in all black to perform a soulful rendition of “Stay With Me.” That track helped Smith become a popular queer artist back in 2014, while more recently, the singer became the first publicly non-binary artist to top the Billboard Hot 100 with their Kim Petras duet “Unholy.”
The Respect for Marriage Act follows the Supreme Court’s 2022 overturning of Roe v. Wade. When issuing their decision, Justice Clarence Thomas wrote a concurring opinion in which he suggested the Court should also reconsider Obergefell v. Hodges, the 2015 decision that legalized same-sex marriage.
“Today, I sign the Respect for Marriage Act into law – a landmark civil rights bill that honors the courage and sacrifice of generations of couples who fought for marriage equality and equal rights,” President Biden said.
.@samsmith performs "Stay With Me" at White House Respect for Marriage Act Signing Ceremony
— CSPAN (@cspan) December 13, 2022
Full video here: https://t.co/k9MaTDgTOK pic.twitter.com/neFTucAYSa
Today, I sign the Respect for Marriage Act into law – a landmark civil rights bill that honors the courage and sacrifice of generations of couples who fought for marriage equality and equal rights.
— President Biden (@POTUS) December 13, 2022
