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Loading ...Obama posts campaign pledges on LGBT rights
11.19.2008 9:41am EST
(Washington) President-elect Barack Obama has laid out his commitment to LGBT civil rights in an eight-point plan posted on his transition Web site.
It calls for passage of the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Act; a gender-inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act; repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell; repeal of the federal Defense of Marriage Act; opposition to any attempt to reintroduce an amendment to the Constitution to ban same-sex marriage, support for inclusive adoption rights; and an expanded war on HIV/AIDS.The program is identical to Obama’s positions during the campaign and LGBT rights groups said it shows that the president-elect is committed to keeping his word.
The Matthew Shepard Hate Crime Act would add sexual orientation to the list of categories covered under federal hate crime law. It passed the House in 2007 and the White House threatened to veto it. In an effort to get around a veto, the Senate version was tied to the 2008 defense authorization bill. It passed but then went to conference, where it was stripped out.
Obama was a co-sponsor of the bill. On his transition Web site, Obama notes that in 2004, crimes against LGBT Americans constituted the third-highest category of hate crime reported, making up more than 15 percent. As a state senator in Illinois, Obama helped pass tough legislation that made hate crimes - and cthe onspiracy to commit them - against the law.
Obama, in his eight-point plan, also supports the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, and says it must include gender identity.
ENDA passed the US House in 2007 without protections for the transgendered, but was not taken up by the Senate.
The legislation would make it illegal for employers to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation in hiring, firing, promoting or paying an employee.
ENDA as originally introduced by Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass) included transpeople, but Frank removed those protections in committee, saying it would be impossible to pass the bill if it included gender identity.
More than a dozen LGBT groups immediately distanced themselves from the legislation. Frank has since said he would fight to ensure an inclusive ENDA is passed.
Obama’s support for an inclusive ENDA virtually assures it will include gender identity when it is reintroduced in the next session of Congress.
“While an increasing number of employers have extended benefits to their employees’ domestic partners, discrimination based on sexual orientation in the workplace occurs with no federal legal remedy,” Obama says on the transition site.
Legislation to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” the ban on gays serving openly in the military, was taken up in committee this year for the first time, but did not make it to a vote.
DADT was enacted in 1993. Since then more than 12,000 servicemembers have been dismissed when it was learned they are gay. According to statistics from the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, which advocates for gays in the military, an average of two service members each day are dismissed under the law .
“The key test for military service should be patriotism, a sense of duty, and a willingness to serve. Discrimination should be prohibited,” the Obama transition site says.
“Obama will work with military leaders to repeal the current policy and ensure it helps accomplish our national defense goals.”
The Web site also touts Obama’s commitment to same-sex families, but he remains reluctant to support gay marriage.
“Barack Obama supports full civil unions that give same-sex couples legal rights and privileges equal to those of married couples.” the transition site says.
“Obama also believes we need to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and enact legislation that would ensure that the 1,100+ federal legal rights and benefits currently provided on the basis of marital status are extended to same-sex couples in civil unions and other legally-recognized unions. These rights and benefits include the right to assist a loved one in times of emergency, the right to equal health insurance and other employment benefits, and property rights,” the Web site says.
He also supports adoption rights for all couples “regardless of their sexual orientation.”
Obama’s plan also offers a comprehensive plan for combating HIV/AIDS.
“In the first year of his presidency, Barack Obama will develop and begin to implement a comprehensive national HIV/AIDS strategy that includes all federal agencies. The strategy will be designed to reduce HIV infections, increase access to care and reduce HIV-related health disparities,” the Web site says.
Part of that plan would see a diminished role for the Bush administration’s dependence on abstinence education, as well as distributing contraceptives in prisons and lifting the federal ban on needle exchanges.
My heart leaped with joy upon reading all our President is hoping to accomplish. Right now all we can do as a community is pray and toss all our support behind our community. But the mere fact he said it in black and white has my heart palpitating! God speed President-Elect Obama. Yes we can!!!
I applaud President elect Obama in his efforts! It still falls victim to the electorial process. I believe he is genuine in his feelings because he may know what most of America doesn’t. It’s comming with or without a vote. You can thank the State of Mississipi for that. I am sure that the Reublician Governor here is not happy that he himself was sucked into the vortex of hate that lies in this state. Or was he? He is in fact the commander here and when something goes wrong, the one at the wheel is held accountable. Civil Rights was forgotten about shortly after 1964 here, but it will be re introduced in a way that could financially ruin this state for 200 more years if they are not careful. The more issues that Obama can addrress, the less we will have to worry about. We wish him the best. And his wife’s outfit was awesome. Imagine how they will decorate the whitehouse.
I will believe that equality of rights in every state is achieved when I see that it is. Until then, it is all just talk. And more talk. And brighter talk. Just talk.
I am very pleased that President-Elect Obama has reiterated his pledges. We must be very vigilant, however, for many of his supporters are trying to minimize the significance of gay rights, arguing that they should not be a priority. In particular, they point to how Clinton’s presidency got off to a bad start because he pushed for lifting the ban against gays in the military too soon. But the difference is that now a large majority of Americans are in favor of most of these bills.
after the depressing news about proposition 8 passing, this is good news. maybe american GLBTs can focus on that now after the sting of proposition 8.
I’ll believe it when I see it.
Yes, our all-hailed President elect has kept his pledge to keep us 2nd class citizens. To not allow our partners or husbands or wives to immigrate to this country, to not allow us to have the same right to marry as heterosexual rapists, murderers, and serial killers do. To not ensure that our rights are recognized in every state, and not just in some. His pledge to make sure that our relationship are separate… BUT equal.
All hail the great president elect.
While the message seems overall hopeful in terms of including gays and lesbians in the Obama agenda, I’m struck by one thing: The failure to actually use the word gay or lesbian or transgendered or bi-sexual anywhere in the agenda. Coupled with Barack Obama’s failure to make any kind of statement regarding the nationwide protests and anger over prop 8, I’m left wondering how much of this is window dressing. When I read that agenda it was almost like he was ‘phoning it in’ or just checking off the box to get it done. I think that’s were the problem lies with Barack Obama: He just can’t connect with us in the way we’d like. Our fight for civil rights is epic to us. For him it’s just more policy-making at best, off his radar at worse. That disconnect is something he needs to find a way to overcome. Otherwise there will be continued suspicion and mistrust. I’m just curious about who advises him on these issues. Does anyone know? They seem to be asleep at the wheel. If he isn’t being advised on gay and lesbian issues then it’s more evidence of the above…
Well…it certainly SOUNDS promising. Let’s all hope that it can be accomplished. Lofty ideals for a country that has so historically been against civil rights of ANY kind!
Before you jump up and down for this man, remember how angry you were Weds morning when you found out Prop 8 had passed. Remember all that anger you have been directing towards other minority communities, and at the Mormons and their church. And remember, if he were Californian, by his own admission…
That this great man would have been right their with the Mormons, and the bigots, voting for hate, and to take away our rights.
While the message seems overall hopeful in terms of including gays and lesbians in the Obama agenda, I’m struck by one thing: The failure to actually use the word gay or lesbian or transgendered or bi-sexual anywhere in the agenda. Coupled with Barack Obama’s failure to make any kind of statement regarding the nationwide protests and anger over prop 8, I’m left wondering how much of this is window dressing. When I read that agenda it was almost like he was ‘phoning it in’ or just checking off the box to get it done. I think that’s were the problem lies with Barack Obama: He just can’t connect with us in the way we’d like. Our fight for civil rights is epic to us. For him it’s just more policy-making at best, off his radar at worse. That disconnect is something he needs to find a way to overcome. Otherwise there will be continued suspicion and mistrust. I’m just curious about who advises him on these issues. Does anyone know? They seem to be asleep at the wheel. If he isn’t being advised on gay and lesbian issues then it’s more evidence of the above…
and don’t even get me started on the implied hypocrisy, intolerance and disingenuous nature of the whole separate but equal thing. That’s just maddening to me and makes me think the rest of this is all a smokescreen.
Words on a web page are not legislation. Time will tell soon enough.
Michael said: While the message seems overall hopeful in terms of including gays and lesbians in the Obama agenda, I’m struck by one thing: The failure to actually use the word gay or lesbian or transgendered or bi-sexual anywhere in the agenda.
This might be a little nit pick, but he does say “LGTB”, if not any one [articular word from the acronym. He also mentions sexual orientation.
Did you miss that, or did you really want him to say “Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered?”
As to his position on marriage, his campaign stance is one of full and equal legal rights, and strays away only on the religious definition of marriage. Do I think he will be able to accomplish legal equality? I don’t know, but so far what we have to go on is his campaign stance that he believes that in the eyes of the law, gay and straight couples are equal.
Barack Obama supports full civil unions that give same-sex couples legal rights and privileges equal to those of married couples. Obama also believes we need to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and enact legislation that would ensure that the 1,100+ federal legal rights and benefits currently provided on the basis of marital status are extended to same-sex couples in civil unions and other legally-recognized unions.
Wow, he says full federal legal rights? That’s actually pretty huge there. He also mentions the 1100+ rights given to married couples.
For those of you crying “Separate is not equal!” what do you think of civil unions with every single legal right of marriage? Do you think it’s a step in the right direction at all?
This is important to me because I need those rights to protect my family from separation. If I could secure ALL those rights sooner under the name of civil unions, I would do so in a heartbeat rather than delay gaining those rights, just to get the name marriage.
I agree that separate is not equal and giving our families different names is just wrong, but when I compare the practicalities of securing much needed rights versus the importance of a label, I’d go for practical and secure.
Good and rainbowy on the surface, but all very unconstitutional. I think the repealing of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is the only thing I can’t find fault with, as that removes federal power without sacrificing states’ rights, and requires no funding.
The “War on HIV/AIDS” thing really scares me. Not only because the federal gov’t. has no constitutional right to be meddling in healthcare issues, but because of the precedents set by the oh-so-successful War on Drugs and War on Terror. In those two instances, we were/are the source of the problem anyway, and not only have we done nothing to stop the problems, but often times only aggravate the situation. I personally believe AIDS can be cured already, but it’s far too profitable to merely treat the symptoms and let the third world die off (along with the gays and blacks.)