The White House to Celebrate LGBT Rights

by Michael Jones · 2009-06-29 10:05:00 UTC
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White House

President Obama still has some splainin' to do when it comes to the issue of LGBT rights, but this afternoon his White House will host an event honoring the tireless work of LGBT rights advocates in a ceremony that will be live-streamed from the White House's Web site.

You can view the ceremony live, beginning at 4:25pm EST, at this link: http://www.whitehouse.gov/live/

Joining in celebration with Obama at the White House will be a host of LGBT leaders, including two veterans from the Stonewall Riots, as well as dozens of organizations working for equal rights.  Brian Bond, who is the (openly gay) Deputy Director of the White House Office on Public Engagement, had this to say about the historic gathering today in DC:

To me, today’s event is more than just a reception honoring LGBT Pride month.  It is an opportunity for the Administration to provide the world with a snap shot  of the real heroes across the country that do the day-to-day work fighting for equality. People like State Representative Patricia Todd in Alabama to Sheriff Lupe Valdez in Dallas, and many other local LGBT elected officials that will be here today.  And it’s people – ordinary families – that by simply living their lives openly are changing hearts and minds.  It is also an opportunity to welcome the people upon whom shoulders we stand, people like Frank Kameny, as well as Phil Wilson, Bishop Robinson and Ambassador Hormel, who I know personally, and those who stood up to bigotry at Stonewall.  I really wish people like Bayard Rustin could be standing here with us today.  He would be up for the fight ahead of us and proud of the place we now stand.

It's still necessary to keep up the pressure on this Administration and Congress.  But today should rightfully be a day of celebration, both for the victories achieved (in large part because of the work of people outside of the Beltway) and for the work ahead; the work to overturn "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, to enact hate crimes legislation, to institute a federal non-discrimination act, and (to one day) achieve full marriage equality in all parts of this country.

Michael Jones is a Change.org Editor. He has worked in the field of human rights communications for a decade, most recently for Harvard Law School.
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