The White House issued what has become its Annual Proclamation that June is Gay Pride Month.
The full statement and some reactions after the fold.
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 31, 2011
LESBIAN, 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
Certainly I'll draw fire for this. And let me state, I am not saying this is a bad thing.
A Presidential proclamation of this sort is clearly a watershed moment in the struggle for LGBT equality. And that's why it was really big news, when Bill Clinton issued the first of its kind, 12 years ago in 1999:
Issuing the First-Ever Gay and Lesbian Pride Month Proclamation. In June 1999, President Clinton issued the first Gay and Lesbian Pride Month proclamation. This historic action marked, as the President said, “the Stonewall Uprising and the birth of the modern gay and lesbian civil rights movement.” In the proclamation, President Clinton encouraged “all Americans to observe this month with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities that celebrate our diversity, and to remember throughout the year the gay and lesbian Americans whose many and varied contributions have enriched our national life.”
My respect and admiration on this accomplishment in particular is completely unqualified:
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.
I worry a great deal about the international backlash that I believe is playing out in regressive countries like Uganda. And it's incontrovertible
American Christian Right is behind it. And the invasion of Iraq has had
very direct (and fatal) consequences for the LGBT community there. I do believe, the west has a moral responsibility not to look the other way at global oppression and violence of LGBT people. If not us, who? It was a welcome move. More please. The State Department's statement on violence perpetrated on Lt. Dan Choi and other activists by Russian police
was not great, as they seem to have bought into
Pravda's narrative of the events. A curious lack of skepticism considering
Pravda has become synonymous with propaganda masquerading as journalism.
The It Gets Better video is clearly an awesome and beautiful addition to the discussion of LGBT bullying and teen suicide. And hosting the anti-bullying conference is a great first step. It would be nice if his administration would actually endorse legislative remedies that are in the hopper like, Sen. Robert Casey's Safe School Improvement Act and Rep. Jared Polis' Student Non-Discrimination bill.
But some of the other accomplishments mentioned, are problematic to be accepted at face value. There is the fact that the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law is still being enforced.
There are serious concerns that the Obama administration has failed to live up to the standard set by George W. Bush regarding AIDS funding for Africa, and state AIDS Drug Assistance Programs are seriously struggling, leaving poor and indigent in the US without access to medications while they wait on lists. The much lauded AIDS initiative was presented—and remains—without an avenue to funding, making it a great idea, that provides little actual benefit to people who need help.
The Matthew Sheppard Hate Crimes Law provides little disincentive for the rising violence against gays, lesbians and trans to abate, so long as two years later the Department of Justice has failed to obtain a conviction, if it has utilized it at all. (Update: Specifically on the issue of LGBT violence, see JPMassar's comment.)
The Words The Community Anxiously Awaits...
There is, however, one pronouncement of support that many feel would be very helpful. Many anxiously await the fulfillment of President's tease regarding his position on marriage equality.
In October 2010, President Obama told blogger Joe Sudbay he was "evolving" on the issue of marriage equality. It sounded nice, but the problem is the tease may have created expectations.
The LGBT community has since checked in a number of times. The Press Corps has, in the time since, become a metaphoric kid in the back seat occasionally chirping up, "Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?" And it doesn't appear to be a topic the current or previous Press Secretary is anxious to entertain.
Particularly as the answer is "Nope."
Chris Johnson of the Washington Blade asked WH spokesperson Robert Gibbs to confirm or deny the authenticity of a 1996 document signed by State Senate candidate Barack Obama endorsing full marriage equality for LGBT citizens on January 24, 2011. Gibbs neither confirmed nor denied the authenticity of the document, and his reaction to the questioning was nearly to end the press conference.
Johnson tried to follow up again on January 31, 2011 and again was unable to ascertain any definitive answers.
And again just yesterday, new Press Secretary Jay Carney had to don tap shoes when fielding questions from the Press Corps on this issue. This time from Tommy Christopher of Mediaite.com (video available at the link):
TC: Based on what he's said and his actions, I think a reasonable person could conclude President Obama believes in the right of gay couples to marry, so why hasn't he come out and said that?
JC: The President has said in the past what his position is, it hasn't changed, and if it changes, I'm sure he'll let you all know.
TC: Last time we checked he said it was evolving--
JC (interupts): I have no update on it for you.
Many saw Human Rights Campaign's curiously early endorsement as a sign that the LGBT community cannot expect to see a reversal of this position before the election season. And there may be reason to believe that's true, embedded in this proclamation.
Chris Geidner of Metro Weekly points out there is no mention of recognition of same-sex relationships in this proclamation, which could be interpreted as a step backwards:
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 …."
We certainly hope with the election season approaching this isn't a sign he's "evolving" backwards.