Blog Posts Related to the LGBT Community

Kicking Off LGBT Pride Month

June is Pride Month for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) community.  This is an opportunity to reflect on the progress we’ve made, and recommit ourselves to the work ahead. 

To help kick off LGBT Pride Month, today President Obama recorded the following video message to Americans across the country:

In addition, the President also issued a Proclamation where he describes the progress we’ve made over the last few years and our ongoing commitment to the rights of LGBT Americans. The Proclamation says in part:

Since I took office, my Administration has worked to broaden opportunity, advance equality, and level the playing field for LGBT people and communities.  We have fought to secure justice for all under the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr., Hate Crimes Prevention Act, and we have taken action to end housing discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.  We expanded hospital visitation rights for LGBT patients and their loved ones, and under the Affordable Care Act, we ensured that insurance companies will no longer be able to deny coverage to someone just because they are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender.  Because we understand that LGBT rights are human rights, we continue to engage with the international community in promoting and protecting the rights of LGBT persons around the world.  Because we repealed “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” gay, lesbian, and bisexual Americans can serve their country openly, honestly, and without fear of losing their jobs because of whom they love.  And because we must treat others the way we want to be treated, I personally believe in marriage equality for same-sex couples.

Throughout the month, we’ll be posting periodic updates at whitehouse.gov/LGBT. Check back often, and make sure you sign up for updates!

Gautam Raghavan is an Associate Director in the White House Office of Public Engagement

Ambassador Susan Rice on International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia

Earlier today, Ambassador Susan E. Rice, the U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations, issued a statement on the International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia.  Her statement can be found here, and is also included below:

On International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia, we celebrate human diversity and rededicate ourselves to a basic but essential truth—that human rights are universal and must be protected. To our lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender friends and relatives around the world: the United States stands with you in your struggle against discrimination. We will continue to do everything we can, in every arena possible, to promote communities and societies in which all people can live safely and love without fear.

President Obama Supports Same-Sex Marriage

Yesterday, during an interview with ABC News, President Obama said, “I think same-sex couples should be able to get married.”

It’s no secret the President has gone through some soul-searching on this issue. He’s talked to the First Lady about it, like so many couples do.  He’s heard from folks—gay and lesbian friends, staff members in long-term, loving relationships, as well as brave young servicemen and women he got to know through the fight to end Don’t, Ask Don’t Tell.  

He’s sat around his kitchen table with Sasha and Malia, who have friends whose parents are same-sex couples. As the President said during the interview, “it wouldn’t dawn on them that somehow their friends’ parents would be treated differently.  It doesn’t make sense to them. And frankly, that’s the kind of thing that prompts a change of perspective -- not wanting to somehow explain to your child why somebody should be treated differently when it comes to eyes of the law.”

In the end, the President said, he believes it's important to "treat others the way you would want to be treated."We need to recognize that people are going to have differing views on marriage and those views, even if we disagree strongly, should be respected.  

Newspapers across the country commented on yesterday’s news.  Let’s take a look at a few of them:

New York Times: “It Has Always Taken Strong National Leadership To Expand Equal Rights In This Country, And It Has Long Been Obvious That Marriage Rights Are No Exception. President Obama Offered Some Of That Leadership On Wednesday.” “It has always taken strong national leadership to expand equal rights in this country, and it has long been obvious that marriage rights are no exception. President Obama offered some of that leadership on Wednesday. ‘I think same-sex couples should be able to get married,’ Mr. Obama said in an interview with ABC News that the White House arranged for the purpose of giving Mr. Obama a forum to say just that….Mr. Obama consciously presented his change of position (he used to favor so-called civil unions but not marriage) as a personal journey. He said he thought about ‘members of my own staff who are in incredibly committed monogamous relationships, same-sex relationships, who are raising kids together,’ and about ‘those soldiers or airmen or Marines or sailors who are out there fighting on my behalf and yet feel constrained, even now that ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ is gone, because they are not able to commit themselves in a marriage.’ That process will seem familiar to Americans of his and older generations who have reached the same place, or are still getting there. Polling shows that younger Americans have firmly supported same-sex marriage for some time. Mr. Obama said denial of marriage rights to same-sex couples ‘doesn’t make sense’ to his daughters. ‘Frankly, that’s the kind of thing that prompts a change in perspective,’ he said.” [The New York Times, 5/10/12]