On October 8, 2009, Obama signed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, a measure that expanded the 1969 United States federal hate-crime law to include crimes motivated by a victim's actual or perceived gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability. On October 30, 2009, Obama lifted the ban on travel to the United States by those infected with HIV, which was celebrated by Immigration Equality. On December 22, 2010, Obama signed the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010, which fulfilled a key promise made in the 2008 presidential campaign to end the don't ask, don't tell policy of 1993 that had prevented gay and lesbian people from serving openly in the United States Armed Forces.
LGBT rights
Barack Obama
Barack Obama | LGBT rights
He signed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, a measure that expanded the 1969 United States federal hate-crime law to include crimes motivated by a victim's actual or perceived gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability. He signed the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010, which fulfilled a key promise to end the don't ask, don't tell policy of 1993 that had prevented gay and lesbian people from serving openly in the United States Armed Forces He signed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. On December 22, 2010, Obama signed the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010, which fulfilled a key promise made in the 2008 presidential campaign to end the don't ask, don't tell policy of 1993 that had prevented gay and lesbian people from serving openly in the United States Armed Forces. In 2016, the Pentagon also ended the policy that barred transgender people from serving openly in the military.
who elected senators under the provisions of the constitution as originally ratified
user
State legislative election.
assistant
who proposed this amendment?
user
The Seventeenth Amendment (Amendment XVII).
assistant
when did it become the part of constitution?
user
On April 8, 1913.
assistant
what were the issues related to it?
user
Legislative corruption and electoral deadlocks.
assistant
who were reformers for the calls for constitutional amendment?
user
Barack Obama (President), Joe Biden (Vice President), Hillary Clinton (Secretary of State), and Ken Salazar (Secretary of the Interior).
assistant
who is the first one?
user
He is an American politician and attorney who served as the 44th president of the United States.
assistant
where was he from?
user
Honolulu, Hawaii.
assistant
what is his religious stance?
user
Obama commented on his religious views, saying: I'm a Christian by choice.
assistant
what did he do for lgbtq?
user
Obama was criticized for inviting Reverend Donnie McClurkin, Mary Mary, and Reverend Hezekiah Walker – who all have a history of making anti-gay remarks – to participate in a three-day gospel music campaign tour called "Embrace the Courage", as part of Obama's "40 Days of Faith and Family" campaign in South Carolina. The Obama campaign responded to criticism in a press release, saying, "I strongly believe that African Americans and the LGBT community must stand together in the fight for equal rights. And so I strongly disagree with Reverend McClurkin's views and will continue to fight for these rights as president of the United States to ensure that America is a country that spreads tolerance instead of division." For events held on Sunday, October 28, 2007, Obama added Reverend Andy Sidden, an openly gay pastor.
Social policy of the Barack Obama administration | LGBT and religion
"The Almanac of American Politics (2008)" rated Obama's overall social policies in 2006 as more conservative than 21% of the U.S. Senate, and more liberal than 77% of the Senate (18% and 77%, respectively, in 2005). In 2010, Obama signed the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010, which ended a policy of not allowing gays, lesbians and bisexuals to state their sexual orientation openly in the military. In May 2012, he became the first sitting U.S. president to announce his support for legalizing same-sex marriage. During his second inaugural address on January 21, 2013, Obama called for full equality for people who are LGBT: "Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law — for if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well." This was a historic moment, being the first time that a president mentioned gay rights or the word "gay" in an inaugural address.
Political positions of Barack Obama | Social policy
During his presidency, Obama, Congress, and the Supreme Court all contributed to a huge expansion of LGBT rights. In 2009, Obama signed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which expanded hate crime laws to cover crimes committed because of the victim's sexual orientation. In December 2010, Obama signed the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010, which ended the military's policy of disallowing openly gay and lesbian people from openly serving in the United States Armed Forces. Obama also supported the passage of ENDA, which would ban discrimination against employees on the basis of gender or sexual identity for all companies with 15 or more employees, and the similar but more comprehensive Equality Act.
Presidency of Barack Obama | LGBT rights
A 2014 order prohibited discrimination against employees of federal contractors on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. In 2015, Secretary of Defense Ash Carter ended the ban on women in combat roles, and in 2016, he ended the ban on transgender individuals openly serving in the military. On the international stage, Obama advocated for gay rights, particularly in Africa.
Presidency of Barack Obama | LGBT rights
On October 8, 2009, Obama signed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, a measure that expanded the 1969 United States federal hate-crime law to include crimes motivated by a victim's actual or perceived gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability. On October 30, 2009, Obama lifted the ban on travel to the United States by those infected with HIV, which was celebrated by Immigration Equality. On December 22, 2010, Obama signed the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010, which fulfilled a key promise made in the 2008 presidential campaign to end the don't ask, don't tell policy of 1993 that had prevented gay and lesbian people from serving openly in the United States Armed Forces.
Barack Obama | LGBT rights
Barack Obama took many definitively pro-LGBT stances. In March 2009, his administration reversed Bush administration policy and signed the U.N. declaration that calls for the decriminalization of homosexuality. In June 2009, Obama became the first president to declare the month of June to be LGBT pride month; President Clinton had declared June Gay and Lesbian Pride Month. Obama did so again in June 2010, June 2011, June 2012, June 2013, June 2014, June 2015, and June 2016. On June 17, 2009, President Obama signed a presidential memorandum allowing same-sex partners of federal employees to receive certain benefits. The memorandum does not cover full health coverage.
LGBT rights in the United States | First Term
On March 15, 2007, Obama stated, "I do not agree...that homosexuality is immoral." During the July 23, 2007, CNN/YouTube debate, he further stated, "... we've got to make sure that everybody is equal under the law. And the civil unions that I proposed would be equivalent in terms of making sure that all the rights that are conferred by the state are equal for same-sex couples as well as for heterosexual couples." Obama supports expanding the protections afforded by hate crimes statutes to cover crimes committed against individuals because of sexual orientation or gender identity. He also called for full equality for gays during his second inaugural address on January 21, 2013, saying, "Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law — for if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well." This was the first time that a president mentioned gay rights or the word "gay" in an inaugural address.
Social policy of the Barack Obama administration | LGBT issues
Godsey used the platform of the National Day of Prayer to exercise his freedom of speech and religion to express his displeasure at both NBA player Jason Collins' admission of homosexuality and President Obama's congratulatory phone call. Mr. Collins' admission was significant as he was first openly homosexual major professional sports figure.
Steve Godsey | Defending Christian Values
He also stated his opposition to the U.S. military's "Don't ask, don't tell" policy, and signed a bill repealing it.
Social policy of the Barack Obama administration | LGBT in the military
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) gave Obama a score of 100% on the issue of gays and lesbians in the US military and a score of 75% on the issue of freedom to marry for gay people.
LGBT history in the United States | 2012
In a May 2012 "Meet the Press" appearance, Biden recounted that, at a private dinner with LGBT campaign donors, he had been asked "How do you feel about us?" The dinner was being held at the home of a gay couple and their two children, and Biden told the parents: "I wish every American could see the look of love that those kids had in their eyes for you guys. And they wouldn't have any doubt about what this is about." Barack Obama announced his own support a few days later, becoming the first sitting United States president to do so.
Chad Griffin | Other LGBT-related activism
In 2012, when President Obama announced his support for same-sex marriage, Cornyn criticized Obama and accused him of trying to "divide the country."
John Cornyn | LGBT rights
The 2012 platform included support for same-sex marriage and for the repeal of DOMA. On May 9, 2012, Barack Obama became the first sitting president to say he supports same-sex marriage. Previously, he had opposed restrictions on same-sex marriage such as the Defense of Marriage Act, which he promised to repeal, California's Prop 8, and a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage (which he opposed saying that "decisions about marriage should be left to the states as they always have been"), but also stated that he personally believed marriage to be between a man and a woman and that he favored civil unions that would "give same-sex couples equal legal rights and privileges as married couples".
Democratic Party (United States) | LGBT rights
On February 10, 2015, David Axelrod's "Believer: My Forty Years in Politics" was published. In the book, Axelrod revealed that President Barack Obama lied about his opposition to same-sex marriage for religious reasons in 2008 United States presidential election. "I'm just not very good at bullshitting," Obama told Axelrod, after an event where he stated his opposition to same-sex marriage, according to the book. In 2015 the United States appointed Randy Berry as its first Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBT Persons. Also in 2015 the Obama administration announced it had opened a gender-neutral bathroom within the White House complex; the bathroom is in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, next door to the West Wing.
LGBT history in the United States | 2015
In the 2008 US presidential campaign, Obama boasted to gay Democratic groups of her husband's record on LGBT rights: his support of the Illinois Human Rights Act, the Illinois gender violence act, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, repealing Don't Ask Don't Tell, and full repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act, civil unions; along with hate crimes protection for sexual orientation and gender identity and renewed effort to fight HIV and AIDS. They have both opposed amendments proposed to ban same-sex marriage in the federal, California, and Florida constitutions. She said that the US Supreme Court delivered justice in the "Lawrence v.
Michelle Obama | LGBT rights
The election of Barack Obama as the first African-American president of the United States (on the same day as the California ban on same-sex marriage was enacted) signified the beginning of a more nuanced federal policy to LGBT citizens. Obama advocated for the repeal of DADT, which was passed in December 2010, and also withdrew legal defense of DOMA in 2011, despite Republican opposition. The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2010 was also the first major hate crimes legislation in federal legislation history to recognize gender identity as a protected class.
LGBT history in the United States | Presidency of Barack Obama
This is yet another abuse and overreach of power by the #Obama Administration, and a clear invasion of privacy. Schools should not have to fear retaliation for failure to comply."
Tom Price (American politician) | LGBTQ rights
President Barack Obama has taken many definitive pro-LGBT rights stances. In 2009, his administration reversed Bush administration policy and signed the U.N. declaration that calls for the decriminalization of homosexuality. In June 2009, Obama became the first president to declare the month of June to be LGBT pride month; President Clinton had declared June Gay and Lesbian Pride Month. Obama did so again in June 2010, June 2011, June 2012, June 2013, June 2014, and June 2015. On June 17, 2009, President Obama signed a presidential memorandum allowing same-sex partners of federal employees to receive certain benefits. The memorandum does not cover full health coverage.
LGBT history in the United States | 2009
The 2012 Republican Party platform also contained language opposing the Obama administration from attempting to impose its "cultural agenda", including a "homosexual rights agenda" in other countries by restricting foreign aid. However, Republicans themselves have also frequently advocated for restricting foreign aid as a means of asserting the national security and immigration interests of the United States. The 2012 Republican Party platform supported anti-discrimination statues based on sex, race, age, religion, creed, disability, or national origin, but the platform was silent on sexual orientation and gender identity.
LGBT conservatism in the United States | Presidency of Barack Obama
Obama has stated that he "felt a beckoning of the spirit" at this time. He has also said that his political/ethical beliefs are "guided by his Christian faith" including belief "in the power of prayer." Although Obama is a Christian, some July 2008 polls showed that some Americans incorrectly believed that he is Muslim or was raised Muslim (12% and 26%, respectively, in Pew and "Newsweek" polls). Citing the latter poll by CNN's Larry King, Obama responded, "...I wasn't raised in a Muslim home," and he said that advancement of the misconception insulted Muslim Americans. Much of the speculations and allegations began with chain e-mails of unknown origin during Obama's presidential campaign.
Public image of Barack Obama | Religion
and he wants everyone in this country to have that same opportunity, no matter who we are, or where we're from, or what we look like, or who we love."
Michelle Obama | LGBT rights
Obama supported civil unions, but opposed same-sex marriage when he ran for the U.S. Senate in 2004 and for U.S. President in 2008. He supported civil unions that would carry equal legal standing to that of marriage for same-sex couples, but believed that decisions about the title of marriage should be left to the states. During his time as senator, Obama co-sponsored the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, Matthew Shepard Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, Tax Equity for Domestic Partner and Health Plan Beneficiaries Act, and Early Treatment for HIV Act. In the 109th United States Congress, Obama received a score of 89% by the Human Rights Campaign.
LGBT rights in the United States | U.S. Senator from Illinois
In March and April 2012, Obama expressed his opposition to state constitutional bans on same-sex marriage in North Carolina, and Minnesota. On May 3, 2012, the Federal Bureau of Prisons has agreed to add an LGBT representative to the diversity program at each of the 120 prisons it operates in the United States. On May 9, 2012, Obama publicly supported same-sex marriage, the first sitting U.S. President to do so. Obama told an interviewer that: In the 2012 election, Obama received the endorsement of the following gay rights organizations: Equal Rights Washington, Fair Wisconsin, Gay-Straight Alliance, Human Rights Campaign, and the National Stonewall Democrats.
LGBT history in the United States | 2012
In response to President Obama's May 2012 endorsement of the legalization of gay marriage, Overall released a statement saying, "Hallelujah and what took so long?"
Park Overall | Political positions
I believe in the redemptive death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I believe that faith gives me a path to be cleansed of sin and have eternal life." On September 27, 2010, Obama released a statement commenting on his religious views, saying: I'm a Christian by choice. My family didn't—frankly, they weren't folks who went to church every week. And my mother was one of the most spiritual people I knew, but she didn't raise me in the church. So I came to my Christian faith later in life, and it was because the precepts of Jesus Christ spoke to me in terms of the kind of life that I would want to lead—being my brothers' and sisters' keeper, treating others as they would treat me.
Barack Obama | Religious views
In 2016, the Pentagon also ended the policy that barred transgender people from serving openly in the military.
Barack Obama | LGBT rights
Michelle said: This is an important issue for millions of Americans, and for Barack and me, it really comes down to the values of fairness and equality we want to pass down to our girls. These are basic values that kids learn at a very young age and that we encourage them to apply in all areas of their lives. And in a country where we teach our children that everyone is equal under the law, discriminating against same-sex couples just isn't right. It's as simple as that. At the 2012 DNC, Michelle said, "Barack knows the American Dream because he's lived it ...
Michelle Obama | LGBT rights
In 2010 he voted in favor of repealing Don't ask, don't tell. Lipinski now says he personally opposes same-sex marriage but supports the status quo "because it has been declared the law of the land." In 2016, he supported the Republican version of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which sought to allow businesses to deny services to individuals if they felt providing service would violate their religious beliefs.
Dan Lipinski | LGBT rights
Neither bill passed Congress. In May 2012, Obama became the first sitting president to support same-sex marriage, shortly after Vice President Joe Biden had also expressed support for the institution. The following year, Obama appointed Todd M. Hughes to the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, making Hughes the first openly gay federal judge in U.S. history. In 2015, the Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution guarantees same-sex couples the right to marry in the case of "Obergefell v. Hodges", and Obama personally congratulated the plaintiff. Obama also issued dozens of executive orders intended to help LGBT Americans, including a 2010 order that extended full benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees.
Presidency of Barack Obama | LGBT rights
He voted against an amendment, which ultimately failed narrowly, that stated that religious corporations, associations and institutions that receive federal contracts can't be discriminated against on the basis of religion.
Steve Knight (politician) | LGBT rights
Obama is a Protestant Christian whose religious views developed in his adult life. He wrote in "The Audacity of Hope" that he "was not raised in a religious household." He described his mother, raised by non-religious parents, as being detached from religion, yet "in many ways the most spiritually awakened person... I have ever known," and "a lonely witness for secular humanism". He described his father as a "confirmed atheist" by the time his parents met, and his stepfather as "a man who saw religion as not particularly useful." Obama explained how, through working with black churches as a community organizer while in his twenties, he came to understand "the power of the African-American religious tradition to spur social change." In January 2008, Obama told "Christianity Today": "I am a Christian, and I am a devout Christian.
Barack Obama | Religious views
While in the Senate, Biden voted in 1993 for a broad defense bill that included the "don't ask, don't tell" law on LGBT service in the U.S. military, after voting to remove the amendment. As vice president, Biden supported the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010, which repealed the prohibition on open service by gay, lesbian, and bisexual people in the U.S. military. In 1996, Biden voted in favor of the Defense of Marriage Act which prohibited the federal government from recognizing any same-sex marriage, barring individuals in such marriages from equal protection under federal law, and allowing states to do the same.
Political positions of Joe Biden | LGBTQ issues
In 2009, Price opposed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which extended the scope of federal hate crime laws to include crimes in which individuals are targeted due to their sexual orientation, gender, or gender identity. Price also voted against the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010 and the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013, which extended the original bill's protections to cover same-sex couples. In 2016, Price criticized the Obama administration's directive that allowed transgender students to use restrooms corresponding with their gender identity. On Facebook, Price wrote, "It is absurd that we need a 'federal restroom policy' for our nation's schools.
Tom Price (American politician) | LGBTQ rights
And quite frankly, I don't see much of a distinction beyond that." Prior to Biden's statement on "Meet the Press", the Obama administration endorsed civil unions, but not same-sex marriage. Biden's decision reportedly forced Obama's hand, pressuring Obama to accelerate his own public shift to support same-sex marriage. In 2013, Section 3 of DOMA was ruled unconstitutional and partially struck down in "United States v. Windsor". The Obama Administration did not defend the law and congratulated Windsor. Biden supported the U.S. Supreme Court's 5–4 ruling in "Obergefell v. Hodges" (2015), which held that same-sex couples have a federal constitutional right to marry.
Political positions of Joe Biden | LGBTQ issues
Carson withdrew as speaker and apologized for his remarks, saying that he was not equating those groups. He said:You know, as a Christian... I have a duty to love all people and that includes people who have other sexual orientations, and I certainly do, and never had any intention of offending anyone. What I was basically saying, and if anybody was offended, I apologize to you. But what I was basically saying is that there is no group. I wasn’t equating those things. I don’t think they’re equal. Just, you know, if you ask me for apple and I give you an orange you would say, well that's not an orange.
Ben Carson 2016 presidential campaign | Marriage and LGBTQ issues
In 2007, Pence voted against the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which would have banned workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. Pence opposed the 2009 Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Act, saying that Barack Obama wanted to "advance a radical social agenda" and said that pastors "could be charged or be subject to intimidation for simply expressing a Biblical worldview on the issue of homosexual behavior." Pence has said that homosexuals should not serve in the military, saying, "Homosexuality is incompatible with military service because the presence of homosexuals in the ranks weakens unit cohesion." Pence opposed the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," saying in 2010 that allowing gays and lesbians to openly serve in the military would "have an impact on unit cohesion." Pence opposes both same-sex marriage and civil unions.
Mike Pence | LGBT rights
Paxton submitted court filings that the Obama administration had "conspired to turn workplaces and educational settings across the country into laboratories for a massive social experiment" and termed the directive a "gun to the head" that threatens the independence of school districts. The states dropped the suit after the directive was revoked by President Donald Trump.
Ken Paxton | LGBT rights
Obama supported legalizing same-sex marriage when he first ran for the Illinois State Senate in 1996. When he ran for re-election to the Illinois Senate in 1998, he was undecided about legalizing same-sex marriage and supported including sexual orientation to the state's non-discrimination laws. During his time as a state senator he cosponsored a bill amending the Illinois Human Rights Act to include protections for LGBT people which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in the workplace, housing, and all public places and supported Illinois gender violence act.
LGBT rights in the United States | Illinois state senator
He commented that homosexuals should not serve in the military, stating "Homosexuality is incompatible with military service because the presence of homosexuals in the ranks weakens unit cohesion" and in 2010 stated that repealing Don't ask, don't tell would "have an impact on unit cohesion." Pence opposed the 2009 Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Act stating that Obama would "advance a radical social agenda" and said that pastors "could be charged or be subject to intimidation for simply expressing a Biblical worldview on the issue of homosexual behavior."
Religious Freedom Restoration Act (Indiana) | Background
Instead, he believes the current mandate to be impractical and advocates for the decision to be made by individuals schools. He has received pushback from the LGBTQ+ community for his perceived homophobia. In March of 2020, he yelled at one of two openly gay lawmakers in the PA House of Representatives, calling him a "little girl" as he was speaking on the floor wearing a rainbow mask. In 2018, he signed onto a letter asking to eliminate LGBTQ+ inclusive birth certificates. The letter asked that Pennsylvania resume issuing birth certificates with the parents listed under a "mother/ father" section, instead of the current "parent/ parent" section.
Jerry Knowles | Political Positions
Full stop."
Joe Biden | LGBTQ rights
On January 7, 2013, the Pentagon agreed to pay full separation pay to service members discharged under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." Obama also called for full equality during his second inaugural address on January 21, 2013: "Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law—for if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well." It was the first mention of rights for gays and lesbians or use of the word "gay" in an inaugural address. On March 1, 2013, Obama, speaking about "Hollingsworth v.
LGBT rights in the United States | Second Term
Northam has supported LGBT rights throughout his political career. While running for lieutenant governor in 2013, he criticized his Republican opponent, E. W. Jackson, for making what were widely considered to be divisive statements about LGBT individuals. During a debate with Jackson, who is a minister, Northam said, "What I do in church translates to what I do in everyday life. Whether it's said in my church or whether it's said in my medical clinic or whether it's said before the Senate, it's on me and it's what I believe in." That summer, when the United States Defense Department began offering marriage benefits to military personnel in same-sex relationships, Northam and Jackson disagreed with each other on the issue.
Ralph Northam | LGBTQ rights
Texas" case and drew a connection between the struggles for gay rights and civil rights by saying, "We are all only here because of those who marched and bled and died, from Selma to Stonewall, in the pursuit of a more perfect union." After the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell on September 20, 2011, Obama included openly gay service members in her national military families initiative. On May 9, 2012, Barack and Michelle Obama came out publicly in favor of same-sex marriage. Prior to this, Michelle Obama had never publicly stated her position on this issue. Senior White House officials said that Michelle Obama and Senior Adviser Valerie Jarrett had been the two most consistent advocates for same-sex marriage in Barack Obama's life.
Michelle Obama | LGBT rights
In June 2016, President Obama dedicated the new Stonewall National Monument in Greenwich Village, Lower Manhattan, as the first U.S. National Monument to honor the LGBT rights movement. On October 20, President Obama endorsed Kate Brown as Governor of Oregon. On November 8, Brown, who is bisexual, became the United States' first openly LGBT person elected Governor. She has also come out as a sexual assault survivor. She assumed office in 2015 due to a resignation. During her tenure as Governor before her election, she signed legislation to ban conversion therapy on minors.
LGBT history in the United States | 2016
Obama has said that he supports same sex couples adopting children. Obama extended the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 to cover employees taking unpaid leave to care for the children of same-sex partners.
Social policy of the Barack Obama administration | LGBT adoption
In the Senate, Biden was an outspoken critic of congressional Republicans' efforts in 2000s to adopt a constitutional amendment to prohibit same-sex marriage; in arguing against the proposal in 2004, Biden cited his position that same-sex marriage was an issue for states to decide. In a May 2012 "Meet the Press" interview, Vice President Biden reversed his previous position and publicly supported marriage equality, saying he was "absolutely comfortable with the fact that men marrying men, women marrying women, and heterosexual men and women marrying another are entitled to the same exact rights, all the civil rights, all the civil liberties.
Political positions of Joe Biden | LGBTQ issues
On October 28, 2009, Obama signed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which added gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, and disability to the federal hate crimes law. In October 2009, he nominated Sharon Lubinski to become the first openly gay U.S. marshal to serve the Minnesota district.
LGBT rights in the United States | First Term
He opposes protecting sexual orientation or gender identity at the federal level, supported marriage privatization (since June 28, 2015), "contracts between adults", opposes the Equality Act of 2015, supported the "United States v. Windsor" ruling declaring Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional," opposed the Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2013, supports the Obama Administration policy of tying foreign aid to LGBT rights, said he doesn't believe in the concept of gay rights because he didn't believe in "rights based on your behavior," opposed the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2011 and 2013, supports a neutral federal tax code on marriage, supports Indiana's Religious Freedom Restoration Act, supports the First Amendment Defense Act, opposes Executive Order 12968, Executive Order 13087, and Executive Order 13672.
Political positions of Rand Paul | LGBT rights
On January 7, 2013, the Pentagon agreed to pay full separation pay to service members discharged under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." Obama also called for full equality during his second inaugural address on January 21, 2013: "Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law—for if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well." It was the first mention of rights for gays and lesbians or use of the word "gay" in an inaugural address. On March 1, 2013, Obama, speaking about "Hollingsworth v.
LGBT history in the United States | 2013
On August 19, 2010, when asked by CNN correspondent John King if he had doubts that President Barack Obama is a Christian, Graham stated, "I think the president's problem is that he was born a Muslim; his father was a Muslim. The seed of Islam is passed through the father like the seed of Judaism is passed through the mother. He was born a Muslim, his father gave him an Islamic name." Graham continued, "Now it's obvious that the president has renounced the prophet Mohammed, and he has renounced Islam, and he has accepted Jesus Christ. That's what he says he has done.
Franklin Graham | Barack Obama (2009–2017)
Biden issued a statement saying that the ruling reflected a principle that "all people should be treated with respect and dignity—and that all marriages, at their root, are defined by unconditional love." In an event with the group Freedom to Marry, Biden described the decision as "the civil rights movement of our generation" and as consequential as "Brown v. Board of Education". Jim Obergefell, the lead plaintiff in the case, endorsed Biden's 2020 presidential run, as did other LGBT leaders.
Political positions of Joe Biden | LGBTQ issues
He voted against an amendment, which ultimately failed narrowly, that stated that religious corporations, associations and institutions that receive federal contracts can't be discriminated against on the basis of religion. Democrats warn that such a provision could potentially allow discrimination against the LGBT community in the name of religious freedom.
Darrell Issa | LGBT issues
Joe Biden was the one who first spoke out on gay marriage at Human Rights Campaign crowd in Los Angeles in 2012. Biden also called LGBT workplace discrimination “close to barbaric” and “bizarre”. On April 14, 2017, Biden released a statement denouncing Chechen authorities for rounding up, torturing, and murdering "individuals who are believed to be gay", and stating his hope that the Trump administration would honor a prior pledge to advance human rights by confronting Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov and Russian leaders over "these egregious violations of human rights". On June 21, during a speech at a Democratic National Committee LGBT gala in New York City, Biden said, "Hold President Trump accountable for his pledge to be your friend." On July 26, 2017, after Trump announced a ban of transgender people serving in the military, Biden tweeted, "Every patriotic American who is qualified to serve in our military should be able to serve.
Joe Biden | LGBTQ rights
Regarding his stance opposing gay Republican political candidates, he said that political opponents in the media distorted his views; while he affirmed that it was "everybody's right" to run for office, he reiterated his opposition to funding the campaigns of candidates who support same-sex marriage.
Scott Garrett | LGBT rights
After Bill Clinton became the first sitting United States president to address a gay rights organization, the Human Rights Campaign, Thomas published a column in November 1997 opposing homosexuality, in which he said: Thomas published a similar column on 16 October 2009, after Barack Obama became the second sitting United States president to address the Human Rights Campaign. Thomas said:
Cal Thomas | LGBT rights
The loudest response from the audience at the National Mall coincided with Obama's remarks supporting equal pay for women and equal treatment for sexual minorities, when he stated that America's journey to equality is incomplete "until our wives, our mothers, and daughters can earn a living equal to their efforts," and "until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law." Obama "made history", said Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin, when Obama connected the struggle of gay couple to the equal rights movement writ large. "By lifting up the lives of LGBT families for the very first time in an inaugural address, President Obama sent a clear message to LGBT young people from the Gulf Coast to the Rocky Mountains that this country's leaders will fight for them until equality is the law of the land," Griffin said in a release.
Second inauguration of Barack Obama | Reaction to inaugural address
Although he was the first Republican presidential nominee to use the term "LGBTQ" in his acceptance speech at the July 2016 Republican National Convention, this was in the context of mentioning a recent mass shooting at a gay nightclub; his comment opposed "the violence and oppression of the hateful foreign ideology" perpetrated by this "Islamic terrorist." Though he promised to "protect our LGBTQ citizens" from this ideological threat, he did not elaborate on any specific challenges faced by LGBTQ people nor did he describe specifically what he would do to support their safety. Consequently, many observed that this comment primarily served to demonize Islam rather than to endorse or meaningfully support LGBT rights.
Social policy of Donald Trump | Orlando nightclub shooting
Collins, a Christian, responded by saying "This is all about tolerance and acceptance and America is the best country in the world because we're all entitled to our opinions and beliefs but we don't have to agree. And obviously I don't agree with his statement." "The Guardian" called it significant for LGBT acceptance "as professional sports had long been seen as the final frontier." Given the interest in major league team sports in the United States, "The Christian Science Monitor" wrote that Collins' announcement was "likely to put wind in the sails of this trend" of acceptance of gay rights in U.S.
Jason Collins | Coming out
In May 2016 Poliquin voted against a measure intended to uphold an executive order that barred discrimination against LGBT employees by religious organizations that contract with the federal government. He was one of seven House Republicans to switch their votes at the last minute under pressure from Republican House Leadership. After criticism from Democrats, he issued a statement saying, "I am outraged that political opponents or members of the press would claim or insinuate that I cast a vote due to pressure or party politics. No one controls my vote", and that he abhorred discrimination in any form.
Bruce Poliquin | LGBT issues
Whilst the Christian right in the United States is making a tough stand against the progression of LGBT rights, other Christian movements have taken a more lenient approach towards the matter, arguing that the biblical texts only oppose specific types of divergent sexual behaviour, such as paederasty (i.e. the sodomising of young boys by older men). During the Trump administration, there is a growing push for religious liberty bills that would allow individuals and businesses claiming anti-LGBT beliefs that are religious in origin to exempt themselves from obeying anti-discrimination laws intended to protect LGBT people.
Christian right | LGBT rights
He noted that law depicts the matter in terms of religious doctrine and intermingles secular marriage with sacramental holy matrimony, which traditionally is only between one man and one woman. He stressed his feelings of affection for his LGBT friends and family members though indicating his agreement with traditions.
Rodrigo Duterte 2016 presidential campaign | LGBT rights
He also added that he was "troubled" by the "false intimations that Obama was Muslim." Powell stated that "[Obama] is a Christian—he's always been a Christian... But the really right answer is, what if he is? Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country? The answer's no, that's not America." Powell then mentioned Kareem Rashad Sultan Khan, a Muslim American soldier in the U.S. Army who served and died in the Iraq War. He later stated, "Over the last seven weeks, the approach of the Republican Party has become narrower and narrower [...] I look at these kind of approaches to the campaign, and they trouble me." Powell concluded his Sunday morning talk show comments, "It isn't easy for me to disappoint Sen.
Colin Powell | Role in presidential election of 2008
President Obama, Secretary of Defense Panetta and Admiral Mullen provided the certification to authorize the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act. Implementation of the repeal was completed sixty days later, so that DADT was no longer policy as of September 2011.
LGBTQ Nation | 2011
In 2016 they were criticized for selecting Milo Yiannopoulos, “a poster child for” the alt-right, a movement “linked to white supremacy, racism, xenophobia, sexism, and homophobia”. He was not selected to be in the poll but the rules did not require voters be readers of the news site; the votes were prompted by alt-right influencers, and media outlets like "Breitbart" where he worked.
LGBTQ Nation | Person of the Year
During the 2016 Republican National Convention Donald Trump said "As your president, I will do everything in my power to protect our LGBTQ citizens, from the violence and oppression of hateful foreign ideologies". At a campaign rally on October 29, 2016, Trump held up a Rainbow Flag on stage upside down marked with "LGBTs for Trump". On November 11, 2016, Trump appointed Peter Theil to the executive committee of his presidential transition team. On November 13, 2016, during an interview with Lesley Stahl on "60 Minutes", Trump said that he was fine with the "Obergefell v. Hodges" Supreme Court decision and that it was irrelevant whether he supported same-sex marriage or not because the law was settled.
LGBT history in the United States | Presidential transition of Donald Trump
The entire speech was recorded by C-SPAN. During his speech to the largely Muslim audience, Obama declared, "I’m a Christian." In an interview with NBC journalist Brian Williams on August 29, 2010, Williams asked Obama about a poll that said that 20% of the American public do not believe that he is a Christian or American born. Obama gave a similar answer to the one he gave in the January 2008 debate. During the 2011 National Prayer Breakfast, the President stated, "My Christian faith then has been a sustaining force for me over these last few years, all the more so when Michelle and I hear our faith questioned from time to time".
Barack Obama religion conspiracy theories | In person
Pence has long opposed the expansion of LGBT rights throughout his political career. In May 2016, Indiana Governor Mike Pence said that transgender students' bathroom access may use should be handled on the state level. He said this in response to direction given by the Obama administration to allow students to use the bathroom corresponding to the gender with which they identify. A month later, on June 15, 2016, Trump announced Pence as his vice presidential running-mate. The decision was criticized by LGBT advocates due to Pence being known for committed opposition to same-sex marriage and his support for "religious freedom laws" that allow individuals and companies to claim religious exemptions from providing services to LGBT people, including an Indiana law that he signed while governor.
LGBT rights in the United States | Mike Pence
The government should do this for both gay couples and straight couples and, leave marriage in the hands of the Church and other religious entities. On June 8, 2015, Campolo released a statement changing his position on the issue of gay relationships, and stating that he now supported full acceptance of Christian gay couples into the Church. He cited several reasons including the institution of marriage primarily being about spiritual growth instead of procreation, what he had learned through his friendships with gay Christian couples, and past examples of exclusionary church traditions practiced "by sincere believers, but most of us now agree that they were wrong."
Tony Campolo | LGBT sexuality debates
Thus, he did not repeal President Clinton's Executive Order banning discrimination based on sexual orientation in the federal civilian government, but its critics felt it was ignored. He did not attempt to repeal Don't ask, don't tell, nor try to change it. He threatened to veto the Matthew Shepard Act, which would have included sexual orientation in hate crimes. While President Bush had always been on record as opposing the legal recognition of same-sex marriages, the 2004 Republican campaign strategy was to focus on "value issues" such as a Federal Marriage Amendment, that would prohibit same-sex couples from obtaining any legal recognition.
Domestic policy of the George W. Bush administration | LGBT issues
In June 2010, he expanded the Family Medical Leave Act to cover employees taking unpaid leave to care for the children of same-sex partners. On December 22, 2010, Obama signed the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010 into law.
LGBT history in the United States | 2010
Because you know what? That's what we're taught when we have strong faith."
John Kasich | LGBT rights
Zachary is an opponent of LGBTQ rights, specifically sponsoring HB 563 which would protect businesses that discriminate against LGBTQ people. He has supported defunding public education in favor of private schools.
Jason Zachary | Policies
Obama has publicly responded to questions regarding his religion on more than one occasion. During a debate of Democratic presidential candidates on January 15, 2008, in Las Vegas, Nevada, the moderator, Brian Williams, asked Obama about the rumor that he was "trying to hide the fact that he is a Muslim". Obama responded that "the facts are: I am a Christian. I have been sworn in [to the US Senate] with a Bible." He then said "in the Internet age, there are going to be lies that are spread all over the place. I have been victimized by these lies." On June 4, 2009, Obama delivered a speech at Cairo University titled "A New Beginning".
Barack Obama religion conspiracy theories | In person
In the House of Delegates, Freitas has been described as having a "conservative voting record and libertarian streak." He has called for the repeal of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), describing it as a "cancer." He supports the construction of a wall on the border with Mexico. In 2016, he urged the Culpeper County School Board to disregard an Obama administration mandate that transgender students be allowed the use the restrooms that correspond to their gender identity. He called it unconstitutional, and said the Obama administration does not "get to arbitrarily redefine what gender means." In 2018, Freitas praised Donald Trump, saying he had been a stronger leader in his first year than Obama had been during his eight years.
Nick Freitas | Political views
The administration rolled back numerous LGBT protections, in particular those implemented during the Obama administration, covering issues such as health care, education, employment, housing, military, and criminal justice, as well as foster care and adoption. The administration sought to rescind rules prohibiting adoption and foster care agencies funded by the government from discriminating against LGBT adoption and foster parents. The DOJ reversed its position on whether the Civil Rights Act's workplace protections covered LGBT individuals, and the DOJ argued in state and federal courts for a constitutional right for businesses to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
Presidency of Donald Trump | LGBT rights
Obama has said that he would sign into law the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which — if passed — would prohibit discrimination in hiring and employment on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. On July 21, 2014, Obama signed Executive Order 13672, adding "gender identity" to the categories protected against discrimination in hiring in the federal civilian workforce and both "sexual orientation" and gender identity" to the categories protected against discrimination in hiring and employment on the part of federal government contractors and sub-contractors.
Social policy of the Barack Obama administration | LGBT and anti-discrimination laws
Bush opposed same-sex marriage. During his 2004 reelection campaign, he called for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would ban same-sex marriage in the United States but allow for the possibility of civil unions on the state level. He also stated in the famous Wead tapes that he would not "kick gays" and worried his refusal to do so might upset his evangelical supporters, and that "I think it is bad for Republicans to be kicking gays."
Political positions of George W. Bush | LGBT issues
On October 28, 2009, Obama signed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which added gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, and disability to the federal hate crimes law.
Social policy of the Barack Obama administration | LGBT and hate crimes
Support for the Obama administration policy requiring American diplomats must raise the issue wherever harassment or abuse arises, and they are required to record it in the State Department's annual report on human rights, and the United States Department of State funding a program financing LGBT rights organizations to combat discrimination, violence, and other abuses is also present. Since 2011, the party opposed the Defense of Marriage Act. The party also opposes discriminatory federal and state constitutional amendments and other attempts to deny equal protection of the laws to committed same-sex couples seeking the same respect and responsibilities as other married couples, and efforts by other nations criminalizing homosexual conduct or ignore abuse.
Political positions of the Democratic Party | LGBTQIA+ rights
On February 16, 2014, Obama criticized Uganda's anti-gay law. On February 28, 2014, Obama agreed with Governor Jan Brewer's veto of SB 1062. Obama included openly gay athletes in the February 2014 Olympic delegation, namely Brian Boitano and Billie Jean King (who was replaced by Caitlin Cahow, who was also openly gay.) This was done in criticism of Russia's anti-gay law.
LGBT history in the United States | 2014
There are a lot of things that are sinful. It doesn't mean that a person is a horrible person. It means that they engage in behavior that is outside the norms of those boundaries of our traditional view of what's right and what's wrong. So, I think that anybody who has, maybe a traditional worldview of sexuality would classify that as an unusual behavior that is not traditional and that would be outside those bounds." Huckabee also stated, in an interview with GQ Magazine:
Political positions of Mike Huckabee | LGBT rights
He supports same-sex marriages and stated "there's no reason to discriminate against gay people." He does not believe religious leaders should be mandated to perform same-sex wedding ceremonies. The Human Rights Campaign scorecard has given Cartwright a 100% score for his tenure in Congress.
Matt Cartwright | LGBT issues
In December 2015, Hawley supported exemptions for Missouri "businesses and religions groups from participating in same-sex ... marriage ceremonies". In June 2020, after the Supreme Court ruled that federal law prohibits workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity, Hawley harshly criticized the decision, saying it "represents the end of the conservative legal movement".
Josh Hawley | LGBT rights
On June 1, 2019, Biden gave a keynote address to hundreds of activists and donors at the Human Rights Campaign's annual Ohio gala. He declared his top legislative priority was passing the Equality Act. He attacked Donald Trump for banning transgender troops in the U.S. military, allowing individuals in the medical field to deny treating LGBTQ individuals, and allowing homeless shelters to deny transgender occupants.
Joe Biden 2020 presidential campaign | LGBTQ issues
I don't shut people out of my circle or out of my life because they have a different point of view[.]"
Mike Huckabee | LGBT rights
Caldwell endorsed Barack Obama in the 2008 Democratic primary, supporting him against John McCain in the presidential election. In August 2010, after media reports that 18 percent of Americans thought President Obama was a Muslim, Caldwell told reporters he had known Obama for years as a Christian who prays daily. He described the media questioning Obama's religion as "a 24-hour noise box committed to presenting the president in a false light".
Kirbyjon Caldwell | Relationship with Barack Obama
Bush had opposed same-sex marriage for years, believing that the issue of same-sex marriage should be decided by the states rather than by the federal government and that it is not a constitutional right. He holds that businesses should have the right to refuse to provide services for same-sex couples on religious grounds. In a statement released in January 2015, after Florida began issuing licenses to same-sex couples following a court ruling, Bush said: "We live in a democracy, and regardless of our disagreements, we have to respect the rule of law. I hope that we can also show respect for the good people on all sides of the gay and lesbian marriage issue – including couples making lifetime commitments to each other who are seeking greater legal protections and those of us who believe marriage is a sacrament and want to safeguard religious liberty." Bush has stated that his personal views were informed by his Catholic faith.
Political positions of Jeb Bush | LGBT rights
In April 1999, he said in a speech, "I have never been confused about my sexuality. I have been confused about the way I am treated as a result of it. The only confusion lies in the prejudice shown, some of it tonight [i.e. in the House], and much of it enshrined in the law." In 2006, he participated the International Conference on LGBT Human Rights adopting Declaration of Montreal and in 2009, he spearheaded an effort to repeal clauses in the Civil Partnership Act 2004 which prohibited religious institutions from conducting the ceremonies on their premises. This campaign culminated in a bipartisan amendment, which became part of the Equality Act 2010.
Waheed Alli, Baron Alli | Politics
President Barack Obama's views on same-sex marriage varied over the course of his political career and became more consistently supportive of same-sex marriage rights over time. In the 1990s, he had supported same-sex marriage while campaigning for the Illinois Senate. During the 2008 presidential campaign, he was opposed to same-sex marriage, but he also opposed the 2008 California referendum that aimed at reversing a court ruling establishing same-sex marriage there. In 2009, he opposed two opposing federal legislative proposals that would have banned or established same-sex marriage nationally, stating that each state had to decide the issue. In December 2010, he expressed support for civil unions with rights equivalent to marriage and for federal recognition of same-sex relationships.
Same-sex marriage in the United States | Politicians and media figures
United States President Barack Obama said that while he did not favour boycotting the Sochi Olympics over the law, "Nobody's more offended than me about some of the anti-gay and lesbian legislation that you've been seeing in Russia". Obama subsequently, in September 2013, met with Russian gay rights activists during a visit to St. Petersburg to attend a meeting of the G-20 nations' leaders. Obama said that he was proud of the work the activists were doing. His aides had said that Obama's opposition to the anti-gay propaganda law was one reason Obama had canceled a meeting previously planned to have been held with Russian President Putin during the trip.
LGBT rights in Russia | Political figures
Loudermilk opposed same-sex marriage up to and upon its legalization, believing it should be decided by states. He has supported the First Amendment Defense Act.
Barry Loudermilk | LGBT rights
Gates and Joint Chiefs Chairman Mike Mullen – the top civilian and uniform leadership of the military – came out in favor of repealing the policy, McCain said he was "disappointed" by their stance: "At this moment of immense hardship for our armed services, we should not be seeking to overturn the Don't ask, don't tell policy," which he described as "imperfect but effective." McCain also criticized Gates for what he saw as an attempt to usurp Congressional authority over the policy. In December 2010, McCain voted against repealing the policy.
Political positions of John McCain | LGBT and marriage issues
On April 15, 2009, Jimmy LaSalvia and Christopher R. Barron co-founded GOProud. Margaret Hoover, a member of the advisory council, added her opinion into the mix, "GOProud has helped force gays out of the conservative establishment—what I would call the 'conser-va-gentsia'—to take on these self-anointed leaders of social conservatism." During a question and answer segment at the 2011 CPAC, Ann Coulter spoke about GOProud and the importance of a gay presence in the conservative movement. During the segment she said "So for now, I'd just like gays to be part of conservatives the way women are and blacks are without-without a special designation." and ended with "Gays are natural conservatives." The 2012 Republican Party platform removed the support for the exclusion of homosexuals from military service would remain in the Republican Party platform until the 2012 Republican Party platform, which removed that language from it.
LGBT conservatism in the United States | Presidency of Barack Obama
He has supported measures to curb job discrimination and hate crimes based on sexual orientation. He voted in favor of the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010.
Max Baucus | LGBT rights
In 2010, Perkins opposed the overturning of the "Don't ask, don't tell" law that prohibited people who were openly gay or lesbian from serving in the U.S. military. Perkins argued that the repeal would, among other things, infringe on the religious liberty of military chaplains and other service members holding orthodox Christian views. In 2006, Perkins urged Congress to pass the Federal Marriage Amendment to the U.S. Constitution which would define marriage in the United States as the union between one man and one woman. He explained his reasoning in a 2006 "Human Events" column: The definition … is rooted in the order of nature itself.
Tony Perkins (politician) | "LGBT issues"
Sharpton is a supporter of equal rights for gays and lesbians, including same-sex marriage. During his 2004 presidential campaign, Sharpton said he thought it was insulting to be asked to discuss the issue of gay marriage. "It's like asking do I support black marriage or white marriage... The inference of the question is that gays are not like other human beings." Sharpton is leading a grassroots movement to eliminate homophobia within the Black church.
Al Sharpton | Political views
In May 2016 McSally voted for a bill that would have dismantled the Obama administration's executive action that made it illegal for government contractors to discriminate against people based on sexual orientation.
Martha McSally | LGBTQ rights
Hitchens was a supporter of LGBT rights. He opposed sodomy laws and supported same-sex marriage. He argued that the legalization of same-sex marriage was the "socialization of homosexuality" and "demonstrates the spread of conservatism" among the gay community.
Political views of Christopher Hitchens | LGBT rights
In 1996, he cosponsored the Employee Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which would prohibit employment discrimination based on sexual orientation. Lieberman voted in favor of the Early Treatment for HIV Act of 2003, which provided Medicaid treatment for people diagnosed with HIV. He has adopted a non-discriminatory policy in employment decisions, which include sexual orientation and gender. Although Lieberman had no military personnel policy experience, he was among the minority in the Senate in 1993 to vote in support of President Clinton's proposal to let gays and lesbians serve openly in the military. However, he supported the Defense of Marriage Act and "Don't ask, don't tell."
Joe Lieberman 2004 presidential campaign | LGBT rights