As President Obama prepares to launch his 2012 re-election campaign, he has decided to tweak his stance on same-sex marriage.

Until the week of February 23, the Obama administration had been in full support of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) passed in 1996.

Obama's new decision is to only partially support DOMA, calling it "unconstitutional." He has ordered the Department of Justice not to uphold the Act because it defines a marriage as "a union between a man and woman," which he believes excludes same-sex relationships.

In the past, Obama made it clear that he was "wrestling" with his "evolving" views on gay marriage.

The President's new decision on this very controversial issue has sparked speculation, support and condemnation from the public.

Obama has gained support from some of today's biggest A-listers. A group in New York called Freedom to Marry solely campaigns for the rights of gays, and has teamed up with stars like Anne Hathaway and Ellen DeGeneres to sign an open letter in support of same-sex unions.

Celebrities including Scott Fujita and Brenden Ayanbadejo (NFL linebackers), Chris Hughes and Sean Parker (co-founders of Facebook), and Jane Lynch (star of the hit show Glee) have all signed the petition.

But despite all of these efforts there is still much opposition within Congress.

DOMA representative Howard McKeon, along with other Republicans, have all signed a congressional resolution in the hopes of protecting the law.

"The Justice Department has a responsibility to defend the laws passed by Congress regardless of the personal and political views of the President or the Attorney General," said McKeon, in a statement released last Thursday.

Some people on the other hand are still on the fence about Obama's decision. With his campaign for re-election rolling around, members of the public say that his decision may be an attempt to earn more votes.

Obama will definitely be depending on support and finances from A-list celebrities in the coming election.