Obama for Gay Marriage

I think that it is important that gay couples should have the right to marry his/her partner. They should be given the same rights as any heterosexual couple. About a week ago President Obama affirmed his support for gay marriage. Obama tells Robin Roberts in ABC News Exclusive Interview, "I think same-sex couples should be able to get married."

I commend the President for finally being someone who comes out publicly to support gay marriage. And during his administration he did a lot for the LGBT community. Here are just a few:

Repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell: The President signed the bill to repeal Don't Ask Don't Tell on December 22, 2010, putting in motion the end of a discriminatory policy that ran counter to our values as Americans. As of September 20, 2011, when the repeal took effect, gay, lesbian, and bisexual Americans can serve openly in our Armed Forces and without fear of losing their jobs for who they are and who they love.

Ending the Legal Defense of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA): If a couple is married under state law, whether they are gay or straight, they're entitled to exactly the same legal rights as any other couple, and the federal government has no businesses invalidating those marriages. In February 2011, the President and Attorney General announced that the Department of Justice would no longer defend Section 3 of DOMA against equal protection constitutional challenges brought by same-sex couples married under state law. In July 2011, the White House announced the President's support of the Respect for Marriage Act, introduced by Senator Dianne Feinstein and Congressman Jerrod Nadler, which would repeal DOMA and uphold the principle that gay and lesbian couples should receive the same Federal rights and legal protections as straight couples. The President has long supported a legislative repeal of DOMA.

Signing Historic Hate Crimes Legislation: President Obama overcame years of partisan gridlock to pass and sign the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act into law, which extends the coverage of Federal hate crimes law to include attacks based on the victim's actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.

Ensuring Hospital Visitation Rights for LGBT Patients and Their Loved Ones: Following a directive from the President, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) now requires all hospitals receiving Medicare or Medicaid funds-just about every hospital in America-to allow visitation rights for LGBT patients. The President also directed HHS to ensure that medical decision-making rights of LGBT patients are respected.

Preventing Bullying Against LGBT Students: President Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, the Department of Education, and the Department of Health and Human Services convened students, parents, and teachers, in addition to non-profit leaders, advocates, and policy makers, for the first-ever White House Conference on Bullying Prevention in March 2011. Early in the Obama administration, six Federal agencies joined together to establish the Federal Partners in Bullying Prevention Steering Committee to explore ways to provide guidance on combating bullying to individuals and organizations.

xoxo,

Kat