As a candidate for the Illinois state senate in 1996, Obama stated he favored legalizing
same-sex marriage. During his Senate run in 2004, he said he supported civil unions and domestic partnerships for same-sex partners but opposed same-sex marriages. In 2008, he reaffirmed this position by stating "I believe marriage is between a man and a woman. I am not in favor of gay marriage." On May 9, 2012, shortly after the official launch of his campaign for re-election as president, Obama said his views had evolved, and he publicly affirmed his personal support for the legalization of same-sex marriage, becoming the first sitting U.S. president to do so. During his second
inaugural address on January 21, 2013, Obama became the first U.S. president in office to call for full equality for gay Americans, and the first to mention
gay rights or the word "gay" in an inaugural address. In 2013, the Obama administration filed briefs that urged the
Supreme Court to rule in favor of same-sex couples in the cases of
Hollingsworth v. Perry (regarding same-sex marriage) and
United States v. Windsor (regarding the
Defense of Marriage Act).