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Landed in my inbox yesterday afternoon…
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press SecretaryFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 31, 2011LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDER PRIDE MONTH, 2011
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION
The story of America’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) community is the story of our fathers and sons, our mothers and daughters, and our friends and neighbors who continue the task of making our country a more perfect Union. It is a story about the struggle to realize the great American promise that all people can live with dignity and fairness under the law. Each June, we commemorate the courageous individuals who have fought to achieve this promise for LGBT Americans, and we rededicate ourselves to the pursuit of equal rights for all, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.
Since taking office, my Administration has made significant progress towards achieving equality for LGBT Americans. Last December, I was proud to sign the repeal of the discriminatory “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. With this repeal, gay and lesbian Americans will be able to serve openly in our Armed Forces for the first time in our Nation’s history. Our national security will be strengthened and the heroic contributions these Americans make to our military, and have made throughout our history, will be fully recognized.
My Administration has also taken steps to eliminate discrimination against LGBT Americans in Federal housing programs and to give LGBT Americans the right to visit their loved ones in the hospital. We have made clear through executive branch nondiscrimination policies that discrimination on the basis of gender identity in the Federal workplace will not be tolerated. I have continued to nominate and appoint highly qualified, openly LGBT individuals to executive branch and judicial positions. Because we recognize that LGBT rights are human rights, my Administration stands with advocates of equality around the world in leading the fight against pernicious laws targeting LGBT persons and malicious attempts to exclude LGBT organizations from full participation in the international system. We led a global campaign to ensure “sexual orientation” was included in the United Nations resolution on extrajudicial execution — the only United Nations resolution that specifically mentions LGBT people — to send the unequivocal message that no matter where it occurs, state-sanctioned killing of gays and lesbians is indefensible. No one should be harmed because of who they are or who they love, and my Administration has mobilized unprecedented public commitments from countries around the world to join in the fight against hate and homophobia.
At home, we are working to address and eliminate violence against LGBT individuals through our enforcement and implementation of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. We are also working to reduce the threat of bullying against young people, including LGBT youth. My Administration is actively engaged with educators and community leaders across America to reduce violence and discrimination in schools. To help dispel the myth that bullying is a harmless or inevitable part of growing up, the First Lady and I hosted the first White House Conference on Bullying Prevention in March. Many senior Administration officials have also joined me in reaching out to LGBT youth who have been bullied by recording “It Gets Better” video messages to assure them they are not alone.
This month also marks the 30th anniversary of the emergence of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, which has had a profound impact on the LGBT community. Though we have made strides in combating this devastating disease, more work remains to be done, and I am committed to expanding access to HIV/AIDS prevention and care. Last year, I announced the first comprehensive National HIV/AIDS Strategy for the United States. This strategy focuses on combinations of evidence-based approaches to decrease new HIV infections in high risk communities, improve care for people living with HIV/AIDS, and reduce health disparities. My Administration also increased domestic HIV/AIDS funding to support the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program and HIV prevention, and to invest in HIV/AIDS-related research. However, government cannot take on this disease alone. This landmark anniversary is an opportunity for the LGBT community and allies to recommit to raising awareness about HIV/AIDS and continuing the fight against this deadly pandemic.
Every generation of Americans has brought our Nation closer to fulfilling its promise of equality. While progress has taken time, our achievements in advancing the rights of LGBT Americans remind us that history is on our side, and that the American people will never stop striving toward liberty and justice for all.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim June 2011 as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month. I call upon the people of the United States to eliminate prejudice everywhere it exists, and to celebrate the great diversity of the American people.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand eleven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fifth.
BARACK OBAMA
And as Chris Geidner of MetroWeekly notes, same-sex committed relationships and their recognition despite its mention in past proclamations doesn’t make the cut:
There is no mention of relationship recognition, despite the fact that on Feb. 23, Attorney General Eric Holder, announced that the president had determined that Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act is unconstitutional. The Department of Justice subsequently ended its defense of that portion of the law in ongoing court challenges.By comparison, in the 2010 proclamation, Obama stated, “That is why we must give committed gay couples the same rights and responsibilities afforded to any married couple, and repeal the Defense of Marriage Act.”
In the 2009 proclamation, meanwhile, Obama stated, “Here at home, I continue to support measures to bring the full spectrum of equal rights to LGBT Americans. These measures include … supporting civil unions and Federal rights for LGBT couples ….”
9 Comments
The Easter Eggs on the WH lawn were a real treat but these unending assurances of fierce advocacy are getting tiresome from Obama.Those Easter Eggs on the WH lawn were a real treat but Obama’s unending assurances of fierce advocacy are getting tiresome. The only fierce thing he’s done was to us not for us when he sabotaged same sex marriage in 2008 in California, Florida and Arizona. That was fierce – it set us back years.
It’s election time and he wants our votes but everyone with any brains knows that he’s going to throw us under the bus again and again. “The more you read and observe about this Politics thing, you got to admit that each party is worse than the other. The one that’s out always looks the best.” Will Rogers
Obama, at this point has betrayed everyone. He betrayed us, immigrant and imported workers, unions, the memory of the miners and oil rig workers murdered by their bosses and thousands of GIs and civilians caught in his six wars of aggression for oil, land and resources. And he’ll do it again. And again. Obama is for hire and betrayal is what he’s paid to do. He’s repeatedly demonstrated his contempt for us and for working people.
Voting for Democrats or Republicans over and over again and expecting something new from them is as close as many of us will get to achieving the clinical definition of insanity.
On November 6th 2012 vote socialist or join the 1/3 of the electorate who just sit it out. (Unless some important referendum or proposition is on the ballot.)
Mass actions, not elections are the key to change so organize demonstrations against the bigots in both parties.
Brian Bond, are you listening???Obama said, “I call upon the people of the United States to eliminate prejudice everywhere it exists, and to celebrate the great diversity of the American people.”
How about eliminating prejudice in the VA toward transgender veterans?
This is getting f—ing ridiculous.
Time to fact check this proclamation from the Obama White HouseAfter a paragraph and a half of rhetoric, the statement mentions DADT. Well, DADT is still law. We’re still waiting on Obama and his team to certify repeal.
Paragraph three begins the litany of cinderella crumbs that even a state like North Carolina had accomplished before the Obama administration got around to lifting a finger.
Hospital visitation? Already handled in NC before Obama acted.
Executive “guidance” on non-discrimination, but no legal protections? Already handled in NC before Obama acted.
UN resolution — credit for that one.
Next paragraph brings mention of the hate crime law which I’m still unaware of Obama’s Justice Dept using anywhere for LGBT folks. And then bullying, again already handled with an actual law in NC.
What really makes me angry though is that the Obama administration dares to mention HIV/AIDS in the next paragraph. It’s year three of Obama’s presidency and we still have ADAP waitlists:
http://www.nastad.org/Docs/Pub…
Obama White House, your “strategy” and purported “increased domestic HIV/AIDS funding” has failed.
Obama White House, you promised more during your campaign. Obama, you advocated for more when you held lower offices. I expect more of you now.
If anyone reads this proclamation at a pride event, I hope you read a fact check right after you do.
His position on marriage certainly is “evolving”And not in a direction we should support.
Nice words……where’s the action Mr. President?
This thing is not a Pride Proclamationunless your idea of what to do for Pride is to swallow it. A more accurate headline would read: OBAMA ISSUES CAMPAIGN STATEMENT DESIGNED TO ROPE IN GULLIBLE GAY VOTERS.
Re: no nod to relationship recognitionThus continuing his backwards evolution since evolving away from supporting marriage in 1990s.
Maybe he thinks“backward evolution” will get the fundamentalists to vote for him.
For Immediate Release