"I don't care what your culture is," Biden told about 100 guests at the Naval Observatory's vice presidential mansion. diplomacy and foreign assistance promote the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender men and women around the world and international gay rights advocates that President Barack Obama has directed that U.S. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand thirteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-seventh.WASHINGTON (CBS/AP) - Seeking to mobilize a global front against anti-gay violence and discrimination, Vice President Joe Biden declared Tuesday that protecting gay rights is a defining mark of a civilized nation takes precedence over national cultures and social traditions.īiden told a gathering of U.S. 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.
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 2013 as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month. I am confident because I have seen the talent, passion, and commitment of LGBT advocates and their allies, and I know that when voices are joined in common purpose, they cannot be stopped. We have a long way to go, but if we continue on this path together, I am confident that one day soon, from coast to coast, all of our young people will look to the future with the same sense of promise and possibility. My Administration continues to implement the Affordable Care Act, which beginning in 2014, prohibits insurers from denying coverage to consumers based on their sexual orientation or gender identity, as well as the National HIV/AIDS Strategy, which addresses the disparate impact of the HIV epidemic among certain LGBT sub-communities. I continue to support a fully inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act, as well as the Respect for Marriage Act.
We have witnessed real and lasting change, but our work is not complete. And because LGBT rights are human rights, my Administration is implementing the first-ever Federal strategy to advance equality for LGBT people around the world. Earlier this year, I signed a reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity in the implementation of any VAWA-funded program. Together, we have investigated and addressed pervasive bullying faced by LGBT students, prohibited discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in Federal housing, and extended benefits for same-sex domestic partners. We extended hate crimes protections to include attacks based on sexual orientation or gender identity and repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." We lifted the HIV entry ban and ensured hospital visitation rights for LGBT patients. My Administration is a proud partner in the journey toward LGBT equality. State and local governments have taken important steps to provide much-needed protections for transgender Americans. Martin Luther King, Jr., "injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." In the past year, for the first time, voters in multiple States affirmed marriage equality for same-sex couples.
Support for LGBT equality is growing, led by a generation which understands that, in the words of Dr.
This year, we celebrate LGBT Pride Month at a moment of great hope and progress, recognizing that more needs to be done. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Americans and their allies have been hard at work on the next great chapter of that history - from the patrons of The Stonewall Inn who sparked a movement to service members who can finally be honest about who they love to brave young people who come out and speak out every day. BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICAįor more than two centuries, our Nation has struggled to transform the ideals of liberty and equality from founding promise into lasting reality.