Pride in Our President: A Month of LGBT Progress

At National Stonewall Democrats, we feel it is important to highlight the great progress that the Obama administration has ushered in the past few years and to recognize the victories our community has won during the Obama presidency. Each day during Pride Month through our Pride in Our President: A Month of LGBT Progress we’ll highlight an action that the President or Administration has taken that directly affects our community.

Pride in Our President: A Month of LGBT Progress kicks off today with the President’s Pride Proclamation. We hope that you’ll check back each day to help us celebrate the progress that has been made – and commit to help us move our country closer to a place where full LGBT equality is the rule, not the exception.

1. For the third year in a row, President Obama has issued a proclamation to declare June Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride month.
2. The White House unveils the first constituency page for the LGBT community, which becomes a hub for all things LGBT-related from the the Administration. Included are blogs about LGBT-related events, pictures from bill signings and the It Gets Better videos from the President, high-ranking Administration officials such as Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and White House staff.
3. The Obama Administration lifts the 22 year old ban on people entering the US if they have HIV, opening the door for bi-national families to be reunited and for HIV+ children from outside the US to be adopted, as well as for major AIDS conferences to finally be held in the US. At the time, President Obama said, “If we want to be the global leader in combating HIV/AIDS, we need to act like it.”
   
   In a Huffington Post article from the time of the move, Immigration Equality Executive Director Rachel Tiven said that “now… families can be reunited, and the United States can put its mouth where its money is: ending the stigma that perpetuates HIV transmission, supporting science and welcoming those who seek to build a life in this country.”
4. The number of openly lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people the Obama Administration has appointed to positions in the Federal government is fast approaching 200 – more than all other administrations combined. Many of those appointees were also confirmed by the Senate, proving that the ability to do one’s job is not determined by one's sexual orientation. That said, having people who are openly LGBT working in the government means that our voices are being heard in both large and small ways in the day-to-day governing of our great country. The Administration has worked closely with the Presidential Appointments Project – spearheaded by the Gay and Lesbian Leadership Institute (the C3 arm of the Victory Fund) and joined by many other LGBT organizations, including National Stonewall Democrats – which acts as a talent bank for qualified, committed LGBT candidates for consideration.
5. HIV/AIDS disproportionately affects gay and bisexual men with 48% of current HIV cases and 53% of newly reported cases being from that group. Before President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law, nearly 30% of those living with HIV/AIDS had no health insurance of any kind. By 2014, when the ACA is fully implemented, insurers will no longer be able to cap or deny coverage based on HIV status. Also, an expansion in the eligibility requirements of Medicaid will mean that low-income individuals living with HIV will no longer have to wait for a diagnosis of AIDS to receive benefits.
6. For the first time in history, the 2010 US Census counted self-identified gay and lesbian couples. Not only did the Obama Administration encourage legally married gay and lesbian couples to indicate their relationship status on the Census form, they also encouraged couples who were not legally wed, but living in a committed relationship, to mark "married" on the form as well. 2010 was also the first year transgender individuals were encouraged to mark their expressed gender on Census forms.
7. When President Barack Obama put pen to the paper on which the Matthew Shephard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act on October 29, 2009, he was signing the first piece of Federal legislation to specifically use the words "gender identity" (the words "sexual orientation" were used in the Hate Crimes Statistics Act of 1990, but a sentence was added at the end that said that no Federal funds would be used to "promote homosexuality"). The Hate Crimes Act was supported by over 31 State Attorneys General and the law enforcement community nationwide as a tool to fight bias-related crime, especially in states where existing law did not cover hate crimes based on sexual orientation or gender identity - states where such a law is needed most. The Hate Crimes Act does not stop bias crimes, of course, but it does send the message that the Federal government sees crimes against members of the LGBT community are a problem worthy of attention.
8. The White House hosted the first ever White House Conference on Bullying Prevention. There, the President and First Lady Michelle Obama, educators, and other experts weighed in on the alarming statistics that connected high teen suicide risks to bullying by their peers.  Those statistics include LGBTQ young people who are disproportionately affected by bullying.
9. The Obama administration took an unprecedented step towards employment equality when they added a section on http://www.usajobs.gov/ that clearly protects applicants from being discriminated against because of their gender identity.
   
   “The largest employer in the country is doing what all the other large employers in the country are doing, so that’s really great news,” said Mara Keisling, Executive Director of the National Center for Transgender Equality, in a New York Times article.
10. In 2009, President Obama added the United States as a signatory to the United Nations declaration calling for the international decriminalization of homosexuality. President Bush had previously refused to sign the same declaration, causing the US to come under fire as the only western nation that would not sign the declaration.
    
    One of the US officials at the UN stated "The United States is an outspoken defender of human rights and critic of human rights abuses around the world...[a]s such, we join with the other supporters of this statement and we will continue to remind countries of the importance of respecting the human rights of all people in all appropriate international fora."
11. The Obama administration's support of the LGBT community benefits both old and young. The Federal Department of Health & Human Services gave grants to Services & Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE) to create the nation's only national resource center for LGBT aging, as well as a $13.3 million grant awarded to the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center to fund their model program to serve LGBTQ foster youth, the largest federal grant ever awarded to an LGBT organization.
    
    Michael Adams, SAGE Executive Director, expressed his gratitude while discussing the plans for the resource center. "SAGE is extremely gratified to be given this opportunity to create and oversee the Resource Center in close cooperation with the Administration on Aging," said Adams. "We are confident that working with AoA and our partners - who represent an extraordinary collaboration between the aging services network and the LGBT community - we will make a difference in the lives of every LGBT older person in every community in this country."
12. The annual White House Easter Egg Roll has been a tradition for many American families since 1878. In 2006, during the Bush Administration, the Family Equality Council organized a group of LGBT families to attend the event as a group in attempt to showcase the strength and love that LGBT families possess. In 2009, the Obama administration started a new tradition, by reaching out to the Family Equality Council to specifically encourage LGBT families to apply for tickets for the annual event.
    
    Jennifer Chrisler, Executive Director of Family Equality Council applauded the Obama Administration, saying, "It's clear to me that when the Obama Administration thinks about American families, they think about LGBT families, as well."
13. In 2009, the Obama administration took another positive step in the path towards legal equality for LGBT Americans, when the State Department made provisions for same-sex married partners to use their married names when applying for a passport, if their state recognized their marriage or civil union.
14. During his presidential campaign, President Obama made many promises. In December of 2010 in a room full of emotional supporters, Obama showed that he was true to his word when he signed the bill that repealed the military’s “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. The 17 year old law that forced LGBT members of US Armed Forces, to remain silent under the threat of expulsion, passed in the senate with a 65-31 vote.
    
    Obama confidently stated that the repeal "will strengthen our national security and uphold (America's) ideals," Obama said. "No longer will tens of thousands of Americans in uniform be asked to live a lie."
15. In 2009, the Department of Labor -- under the direction of President Obama -- expanded the Family Medical Leave Act to include LGBT families. The FMLA, which allows workers to take up to 12 weeks paid leave to take care of themselves or ill children, previously only applied to heterosexuals. The Obama Administration's expansion of the FMLA is an acknowledgement that LGBT couples and their families deserve the same basic securities that any other family is afforded. The clarification of the terms "son or daughter" ensure that gay or lesbian parents can take care of their children, whether or not they are biologically related.
    
    In an article from the time, Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis said, "No one who loves and nurtures a child day-in and day-out should be unable to care for that child when he or she falls ill. ... The Labor Department's action today sends a clear message to workers and employers alike: All families, including LGBT families, are protected by the FMLA."
16. President Obama added his voice to the ranks of celebrities and everyday Americans alike by delivering messages of hope for young LGBT people being tormented by bullies, by filming a video for columnist Dan Savage’s
    
    With the words, “You are not alone. You didn’t do anything wrong. You didn’t do anything to deserve to be bullied,” President Obama gave hope to countless young people with his video for the It Get’s Better Project. He went on to say, “[T]here is a whole world waiting for you, filled with possibilities. There are people out there who love you and care about you just the way you are. And so, if you ever feel like, because of bullying, because of what people are saying, that you're getting down on yourself, you've got to make sure to reach out to people you trust."
    
    Other members of the Administration, such as Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Hillary R. Clinton and several of the White House staff, also made videos offering their support for LGBT youth.
17. Under the Obama Administration, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) launched a national campaign to eradicate housing discrimination based on gender stereotypes. The "Live Free" campaign is part of HUD's goal to rid its programs of all types of discrimination.
    
    In an article from the time, John Trasvina, HUD Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity stated, "[w]hile 20 states and over 200 local governments have led the way to make LGBT-related housing discrimination illegal, HUD is firmly committed to supporting the right of LGBT individuals and families to lead productive and dignified lives, free from housing discrimination and fear of retaliation...HUD is finalizing a federal rule to ensure that HUD housing and programs are open to all, irrespective of marital status, gender identify, and sexual orientation."
18. In 2010 when Obama signed the Affordable Care Act he opened the door to affordable health care for many people that had previously found health care inaccessible.
    
    According to a report titled 'The Affordable Care Act: Transforming LGBT Health' written by the National Coalition for LGBT Health, "The estimated 46 million uninsured people in the United States include many members of the LGBT community. Because LGBT people and their families are regularly discriminated against in employment, relationship recognition, and insurance coverage, they are roughly twice as likely as the general population to be uninsured."
    
    Thanks to this law many LGBT families will have access to basic and affordable health care provisions, without the threat of discrimination.
19. In February of 2011 the Obama administration turned a new leaf for Black History Month. Presidents, school officials, and small group of LGBT student leaders from HBCU's across the country were invited to the white house for a program that highlighted the role of African- Americans in LGBT history. The event also gave the students the opportunity to network with African American allies and LGBT leaders in the White House,The students and leaders were supported by HRC's HBCU Program, National Gay & Lesbian Task Force, and National Black Justice Coalition.
20. President Obama became the first president to send an administration assistant to formally vocalize the Presidents support of an all inclusive Employment Non Discrimination Act (ENDA). Before the U.S. House Education and Labor Committee, Obama’s support for an act that prohibited employment discrimination on the basis of both sexual identity and gender orientation was presented by Stuart Ishimaru, acting chairman of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
    
    According to a report of the ENDA House hearing, he told the committee that the administration believes prohibiting employment discrimination "on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity is a matter of basic fairness in the workplace."
21. In February, the Department of Justice (DOJ), following the instructions of President Obama, announced that they believed courts should apply "heightened scrutiny to laws that classify people based on sexual orientation – particularly the Defense of Marriage Act." In the letter that Attorney General Eric Holder sent to Speaker John Boehner (R-OH), he went on to say that because of this decision, the DOJ would no longer defend Section 3 of DOMA, which defines "marriage" and "spouse" as referring only to opposite-sex marriages.
    
    According to a MetroWeekly article, Holder explained the decision in his statement writing, "The President has also concluded that Section 3 of DOMA, as applied to legally married same-sex couples, fails to meet that standard and is therefore unconstitutional. Given that conclusion, the President has instructed the Department not to defend the statute in such cases."
22. In 2009 President Obama awarded gay civil rights activist Harvey Milk, and open lesbian tennis legend Billie Jean King with the Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor. The two, along with fourteen other recipients, were presented with the award in recognition of their contributions to the national interests of the United States, world peace, or other public contributions.
23. In the midst of a major debate concerning marriage equality between lawmakers in Albany, President Obama’s reelection campaign will be hosting a a fundraiser for major LGBT donors in NYC - the Annual LGBT Leadership Gala. NSD Executive Director Michael Mitchell will be among the attendees.
24. When Obama signed the Affordable Care Act of 2010, he opened up the door for LGBT families to have access to affordable health care. The new patient’s Bill of Rights that went into effect September 23, 2010 includes protections for health care services and access to insurance benefits, as well as sections preventing insurers from canceling coverage solely on the basis of pre-existing conditions.
    
    Patient protections are vital for LGBT people, who encounter numerous barriers in accessing insurance, appropriate health services, and care from providers familiar with the LGBT community.
    
    According to Changing the Game: What Health Care Reform Means for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual,and Transgender Americans, put together by the Center for American Progress and the National Coalition for LGBT Health, the Patient’s Bill of Rights prohibits annual and lifetime limits on coverage, protects each person’s right to choose a doctor, removes insurance barriers to emergency services, and guarantees the right to external review and appeal of any insurance coverage determination.
25. In 2010, thanks to the efforts of the US Ambassador to the United Nations and Obama appointee Susan Rice, The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) was officially recognized as an organization by the UN. The IGLHRC, which works to stop Government sanctioned LGBT violence internationally was granted consultative status after Rice was able to secure the support of at least 23 other nations.
    
    President Obama praised the efforts of Rice and spoke about his approval of the vote: "I welcome this important step forward for human rights, as the International Lesbian and Gay Human Rights Commission (ILGHRC) will take its rightful seat at the table of the United Nations. The UN was founded on the premise that only through mutual respect, diversity, and dialogue can the international community effectively pursue justice and equality. Today, with the more full inclusion of the International Lesbian and Gay Human Rights Commission, the United Nations is closer to the ideals on which it was founded, and to values of inclusion and equality to which the United States is deeply committed."
26. In 2010 the Obama Administration took another significant step towards LGBT equality. That year, the State Department unveiled new regulation that would make it possible for transgender Americans to have an easier time obtaining passports that reflect their true gender. The new policy requires the applicants for a gender marker change on their passports to submit written proof from their physicians that they were receiving "appropriate clinical treatment" for gender transition. The new policy nixed a previous requirement of gender reassignment surgery.
    
    Mara Keisling, Executive Director of National Center for Transgender Equality said, "We want to extend our thanks to the Obama Administration, and particularly to Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, for understanding the need for this change and then responding to make travel safer for transgender people...[t]his shows how changes in government policy directly impact people's lives, in this case,for the better."
27. On April 10, 2010, President Obama took perhaps one of his most impactful actions for the LGBT community when he directed the Department of Health and Human Services to prohibit hospitals from discriminating when it comes to hospital visitation. By directing that any hospital receiving Medicare and Medicaid funding cannot bar same-sex partners from hospital rooms and medical decision-making, the vast majority of American hospitals can no longer discriminate if they wish to keep their federal funding.
    
    Same-sex partners should never have to prove their relationship status in times of great need or emergency, nor should we have to fight to gain entrance to see our partner or make difficult – and sometimes lifesaving – decisions about their care. Now, in most hospitals in America, we no longer have to worry.
28. In 2009 President Obama endorsed the Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act (DPBO), an act that would extend full partnership benefits to LGBT federal employees.
    
    That same year President Obama directed the Office of Personnel Management to extend long-term care benefits and family and parental leave to the same-sex partners of gay and lesbian federal employees.
    
    "Many of our government's hard-working, dedicated, and patriotic public servants have long been denied basic rights that their colleagues enjoy for one simple reason -- the people that they love are of the same sex," Obama said in an article about his decision to endorse DPBO.
29. Today is a two-fer. First, the US Department of Health and Human Services announced this morning that they will now include questions about LGBT people in the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), a critical step in documenting and tracking data on our lives so disparities in health and care can be studied and policies to address those disparities can be implemented. Hutson Inniss, National Coalition for LGBT Health Executive Director called the move “an incredible step forward.” The Coalition has been working on this historic move in partnership with the National Gay Lesbian Task Force’s New Beginnings Initiative.
    
    Also, the President later today welcomes hundreds of LGBT community leaders from around the country to the annual White House Pride Reception, the day after the 42nd Anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, considered to be the birth of the modern LGBT rights movement.
30. We wrap up our month of Pride in Our President project with a reality check: while there is still much more work to do to achieve full LGBT equality in America, President Obama and his administration have implemented a long list of meaningful policies that are highly impactful on our community. In other administrations - most notably that of Obama's predecessor at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, George W. Bush, and even Bill Clinton before that - any one of the actions and policies we have highlighted this month would have been big news.
    
    We should celebrate the fact that same sex partners can't be turned away from the hospital rooms of our partners, the fact that HIV+ visitors can no longer be turned away from American shores simply because of their serostatus, the fact that transgender people can now have US passports that accurately reflect their gender identity. We should celebrate the fact that our President (and the First Lady) are putting the weight of their respective positions behind fighting bullying. We should celebrate the fact that Federal agencies are now including LGBT people in data collection, tracking and policy-making. We should celebrate the fact that this President signed the Hate Crimes Act, the Lily Ledbetter Act and made the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell a priority for his administration, taking methodical and very necessary steps to make sure that the military was on board for repeal - because without their buy-in, he would not have had a bill to sign into law.
    
    We are unapologetically proud of President Obama and the Administration and we will continue to unapologetically press him to continue the great work of full equality for the LGBT community.