Subscribe to Breaking NewsObama issues LGBT Pride statement
From the White House:
LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDER PRIDE MONTH, 2009
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION
Forty years ago, patrons and supporters of the Stonewall Inn in New York City resisted police harassment that had become all too common for members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community. Out of this resistance, the LGBT rights movement in America was born. During LGBT Pride Month, we commemorate the events of June 1969 and commit to achieving equal justice under law for LGBT Americans.
LGBT Americans have made, and continue to make, great and lasting contributions that continue to strengthen the fabric of American society. There are many well-respected LGBT leaders in all professional fields, including the arts and business communities. LGBT Americans also mobilized the Nation to respond to the domestic HIV/AIDS epidemic and have played a vital role in broadening this country’s response to the HIV pandemic.
Due in no small part to the determination and dedication of the LGBT rights movement, more LGBT Americans are living their lives openly today than ever before. I am proud to be the first President to appoint openly LGBT candidates to Senate-confirmed positions in the first 100 days of an Administration. These individuals embody the best qualities we seek in public servants, and across my Administration — in both the White House and the Federal agencies — openly LGBT employees are doing their jobs with distinction and professionalism.
The LGBT rights movement has achieved great progress, but there is more work to be done. LGBT youth should feel safe to learn without the fear of harassment, and LGBT families and seniors should be allowed to live their lives with dignity and respect.
My Administration has partnered with the LGBT community to advance a wide range of initiatives. At the international level, I have joined efforts at the United Nations to decriminalize homosexuality around the world. Here at home, I continue to support measures to bring the full spectrum of equal rights to LGBT Americans. These measures include enhancing hate crimes laws, supporting civil unions and Federal rights for LGBT couples, outlawing discrimination in the workplace, ensuring adoption rights, and ending the existing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy in a way that strengthens our Armed Forces and our national security. We must also commit ourselves to fighting the HIV/AIDS epidemic by both reducing the number of HIV infections and providing care and support services to people living with HIV/AIDS across the United States.
These issues affect not only the LGBT community, but also our entire Nation. As long as the promise of equality for all remains unfulfilled, all Americans are affected. If we can work together to advance the principles upon which our Nation was founded, every American will benefit. During LGBT Pride Month, I call upon the LGBT community, the Congress, and the American people to work together to promote equal rights for all, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim June 2009 as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month. I call upon the people of the United States to turn back discrimination and prejudice everywhere it exists.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of June, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-third.
BARACK OBAMA
Why doesn’t he put his money where his mouth is. Actions and/ or inactions speak louder than words.
Many pretty words with no meaning.
It is nice to have wonderful thoughtful words, but where is the action. And what about “civil unions” – those are not marriages, they aren’t even equal. You say you want to give the GLBT community their equal rights – which they have rightfully worked very hard for, not only for their families but their country – then give them their equal rights. Don’t call their loving, committed relationships a “civil union”, call it a marriage. Don’t deny them the opportunity to serve their country and be proud of their country by denying them the right to be who they are and live their lives as who they are. Don’t let another gay teenager or a gay person walking the street of their neighbourhood on a warm summer’s evening be a victim of a vicious hate crime. Don’t further deny the right of loving, committed spouses the opportunity of taking care of each other during times of sickness and in old age, no questions asked! The time is now, Mr. Obama, you were elected on the promises you made not only to the American people as a whole, but also to the Gay, Lesbian, Bi-Sexual and Transgendered Community.
This in the “YEAR OF OUR LORD”. Isn’t that the problem? Who’s Lord? Oh, ours? Well, your Lord perhaps but it is also your Lord keeping me from being a free citizen of The United States of America. How wonderful we all are and what advances “WE” have made. No thanks to empty gestures that hide behind politics.
Somehow the economy only affects straight people. Somehow only straight people lose their jobs. Somehow healthcare isn’t an issue for us.
Thank you for admitting equality remains unfullfilled for some of us. Not you, just “some of us”.
I do appreciate the gesture for what it is worth. I just can’t figure out what we have done other than all these wonderful things so it baffles me to find out that even despite those things we are treated as aliens.
I see this as progress. Sometimes people are quick to complain and be negative. It is shameful that it has taken so long. But it is not Obamas’ fault. Things will continue to get better. Have faith.
Oh My Gawd! I’m laughing so damn hard that tears are streaming out of my eyes!
How can this man issue a proclamation like that with a straight face!
One question must be asked ….. is he hittin the gays up for donations again!?!?!?
Even Cheney supports legalization of gay marriage; the only reason Obama doesn’t is religious-based bigotry or plain-ole self-serving politics. In either case, he’s no different than Pat Robertson or James Dobson when it comes to our right to marry.
I don’t know but as I read that it felt hollow. I want action not just some empty words. The only group that will stir with this proclamation will probably be those who are against us and Dear Mr. President sir, “civil unions,” SEPARATE IS NOT EQUAL!! If you could drink from the same brand of faucet as the “Whites Only” faucet is that f’ing equal….I think not sir!
File this under too little too late. The fact that he says nothing about our current successes, set backs, or in the case of prop 8, failures. Not acknowledging these things seems ridiculous at best down right disinterested at worse…
@ Shai–NICE!
Excuse me for assuming to speak for many others, but I know that one thing that infuriates me with Obama is that the occasional nice words have been matched by NO action. NONE. Surely Obama is not so aloof–surely he can understand that gay anger is building against him because he CHOOSES to do NOTHING. He’s not the messiah, he’s not going to fix everything, we just want acknowledgement–and his pretty words are anything but. I’m guessing that more and more big-league gay political donors are ready to start saying no to the Dems unless there’s some action, and soon. Blah blah Pride month blah blah Stonewall blah blah somebody’s digging himself a very deep hole and might not be re-elected in 2012 because gays won’t pay for it.
I know GM went into bankruptcy today. I know your pick for the Supreme Court is being trashed five ways to nowhere. I know the economy still sucks and there are folks losing their homes, losing their jobs … but at least 10% of all the people in all the above categories (except Supreme Court Nominees – that’ll be the day won’t it?) are tax paying, country loving LGBT human beings who don’t even have the most basic of rights at the Federal Level.
We know you can talk the talk – the yellow brick road awaits your first footstep with great anticipation.
Thanks Mr.President. I’ll I can do is wait and see. You’re the first.
WTF? What planet am I on? Dick Cheney’s “freedom for everyone” phrase means more for gay pride than this rambling BS from the hypocritical blowhard who resides at 1600 Pennsylvania. What an arrogant gasbag.
I was hoping for more.
Well big whoop – thats what we want, proclamiations.
Maybe you could throw us a dance too ?
Or maybe you could actually DO something to overturn DOMA and DADT the way you promised.
Change ? What change.