Obama's Gay Agenda

[FreeState]

From the transition website:

http://change.gov/agenda/civil_rights_agenda/

Support for the LGBT Community
"While we have come a long way since the Stonewall riots in 1969, we still have a lot of work to do. Too often, the issue of LGBT rights is exploited by those seeking to divide us. But at its core, this issue is about who we are as Americans. It's about whether this nation is going to live up to its founding promise of equality by treating all its citizens with dignity and respect."
-- Barack Obama, June 1, 2007

The Obama-Biden Plan

Expand Hate Crimes Statutes:....

Fight Workplace Discrimination: ...

Support Full Civil Unions and Federal Rights for LGBT Couples: ...

Oppose a Constitutional Ban on Same-Sex Marriage: ...

Repeal Don't Ask-Don't Tell:...

Expand Adoption Rights: ...

Promote AIDS Prevention: ...

Empower Women to Prevent HIV/AIDS: ...

-----

Thats a fairly ambitious list. Im glad its on his site - now lets hold him to it - in his first term.

[bluedawg12]

1. Regarding Mr. Obama's Gay Agenda, starting with the word "Gay"

actually, starting with the letter "G", in the word gay, that is already a sh*t load more than that family values, KKKulture war pushing, gay- baiting douche regime did for us during the last eight years.

If Mr. Obama did nothing more that have a gay holiday season, it would be worlds more, of course....we might just ask for a teensy bit more. But hey...the words equality, dignity and respect regarding GLBTQ's are welcome.

[FreeState]

2. I know what you mean - its refreshing just to see the word on a government page

Yet alone all the things he wants to do. The only change I would make is to do away with the legal segregation of Civil Unions and ask for Marriage under the same laws. Everyone keeps saying thats a dream and not going to happen... but what can I do but Hope - after all thats all he asked of us, is it not? :)

[bluedawg12]

4. Yes, he asked to be audaciously hopeful!

I also think that he said that during the election, and he needed to modulate the message.

I trust this man, and I think he will do the right thing. I am sure that he sees what is going on with all of the rw hate mongering that was the ramp up to H8 and that might be a catalyst for him? :fistbump:

[laconicsax]

3. Still opposed to marriage equality...

...sigh...

[bluedawg12]

5. I know, but, he has not yet even been sworn in

who knows how things unfold once he is in, has his administration selected and get's a little breathing room solving world issues, as the most powerful man on the planet--who happens to be for fairness for gays and a constitutional scholar as opposed to say a dry drunkard.

I think Rahm is also very aware of GLBTQ issues.

[laconicsax]

7. I sincerely doubt that a man who has said repeatedly

that he believes that separate-but-equal civil unions are the answer, that 'marriage' is between a man and a woman, and that he does not support 'gay marriage' for religious reasons is ever going to change his tune.

He never intimated during the primaries that LGBT issues were a priority and even went out of his way to show that they were unimportant to him. He only opposed prop 8 because he doesn't support changing a state constitution to define 'marriage.'

If marriage equality is going to happen during an Obama administration, it'll have to be through the courts.

[bluedawg12]

8. Totally agree - it will be the courts.

The difference is he will not place the entire admin., the DOJ, and the rw H8 machine against us -like dumbya would have done- and he will also be appointing Federal Judges and eventually SCOTUS.

But, as far as civil rights issues, those get sorted out by Courts, not popular vote like Hate8. :argh:

[machI]

11. Obama appoint Supreme Court Justices is our best chance for equality

Having a Liberal Democrat as President is the key to swinging the Supreme Court back in favor of the people. The appointments made by Obama will have influence on Americans social structure for years after he leaves office. We have a vested interest in insuring who ever he selects holds a favorable opinion.

[IndianaGreen]

34. Obama's support for ENDA and a new ERA is what counts!

A new ERA will be bring equality to all regardless of gender, sexual orientation, or sexual identity. Abortion will become a fundamental right that no one can restrict. Marriage rights will also be a fundamental right that cannot be denied to LGBTs.

Soviet women had more abortion rights in 1922 than American women do today!

[davidinalameda]

6. they acknowledge the Stonewall Riots?

that's the coolest thing right there

a bunch of dykes and drag queens!

[bluedawg12]

9. Never underestimate

a bunch of dykes and drag queens! :fistbump:

[davidinalameda]

15. amen to that!

[ieoeja]

29. That needs advertised more.

I'm a screaming fucking liberal, and I had never heard of Stonewall until last year. And I read it in a SciFi mystery book of all places.

Worse yet, I had absolutely no idea that gay sex was illegal as late as 1969 in New York. And I am far from alone. At a campout this year with a number of centrist types, not haters at all, they trotted out the "why do gays have to make such a big deal out of their sexuality" meme.

So I gave them the history of Stonewall, pointing out that I had only recently learned about it myself. I could see a few lightbulbs going off. One guy said he'd have to look it up because he could not believe what I was telling him was the truth. But that if it was the truth, it sure did explain a lot. And it would kinda piss him off at society that that was ever true.

When they ask why you are "proud", the answer starts, "do you know why we hold Pride parades in June? Let me tell you about the Stonewall riot that led to a US Supreme Court case...." And include the fact that it was a little lesbian gal that refused to go peacefully. Point out to them that gay men also get pissed when they see a bunch of big cops with batons subduing a small gal. Shatter (well, crack) a stereotype and give them a feeling of common ground

And why wait for someone to ask? Make that history a feature of the Pride parades. Educate us other lovers.

[Smarmie Doofus]

35. Perceptive post.

We do a poor job of communicating with the the larger community. Then we're ballistic when they don't "get it".

GP Day would be useful here...in terms of PR and educating the general public. But we spurn that model in favor of turning inward.... "celebrating" GLBT life in our various urban ghettos. It's separatism.... with a heavy dose of commercialism.

That's fine; but let's not be surprised when a crisis pops-up ( eg. Prop 8) and no one knows WTF you're talking about.




>>>>>Worse yet, I had absolutely no idea that gay sex was illegal as late as 1969 in New York. And I am far from alone. At a campout this year with a number of centrist types, not haters at all, they trotted out the "why do gays have to make such a big deal out of their sexuality" meme.

So I gave them the history of Stonewall, pointing out that I had only recently learned about it myself. I could see a few lightbulbs going off. One guy said he'd have to look it up because he could not believe what I was telling him was the truth. But that if it was the truth, it sure did explain a lot. And it would kinda piss him off at society that that was ever true.

When they ask why you are "proud", the answer starts, "do you know why we hold Pride parades in June? Let me tell you about the Stonewall riot that led to a US Supreme Court case...." And include the fact that it was a little lesbian gal that refused to go peacefully. Point out to them that gay men also get pissed when they see a bunch of big cops with batons subduing a small gal. Shatter (well, crack) a stereotype and give them a feeling of common ground

And why wait for someone to ask? Make that history a feature of the Pride parades. Educate us other lovers.>>>>>

[Eryemil]

10. Uh uh. I'll believe it when I see it.

[Zuiderelle]

12. What does empowering women to prevent HIV/AIDs have to do with gays?

Seriously... :wtf:

They can't find enough issues to not include non-gay ones? Or does he just lump all HIV/AIDs issues under his gay agenda... and if so, :wtf:


Edit to add... not that I wouldn't appreciate federal civil unions with federal equality, I'm willing to accept that compromise for now, but the last item just sort of stands out to me. Like they relegate AIDs as a gay issue, so much so that they include it twice in the list and even put the ENTIRELY unrelated empowerment of women to prevent HIV/AIDs... that's directed at STRAIGHT women.

[foxfeet]

14. I take it to mean that straight women would be empowered

to take a more active role in eliminating the transmission of HIV from nominally straight men who also have gay sex on the down low. (I realize that term is probably loaded for the African-American community, but let's face it-- it goes on in every ethnic group. I also don't intend here to attribute the problem to people who are openly bisexual.) Just as birth control empowers women, this kind of empowerment would help women to protect themselves by insisting their male partners stop screwing around and come out already.

[Zuiderelle]

16. I don't.

AIDS is a real problem for straight women, even those who have nothing to do with men having sex with other men. And it's a problem in the straight community in general. Categorizing that as part of his gay agenda is misleading and frankly irresponsible.

I sincerely doubt that there would be any campaign to convince women to ask their husbands and partners to "come out" as gay. If anything, it is meant to encourage women to use condoms and have their partners tested for HIV. Which, again, has nothing WHATSOEVER to do with the gay community.

[bluedawg12]

17. That's a good point - I didn't even think about it that way

I wonder if there is more info. on that.

Was it in referejce to the the "down low" notion?

[foxfeet]

20. And I don't disagree with you.

That was just my take on the OP. I do think that as a black man, Obama MAY be looking at the HIV issue through the lens of the African-American community. I'll wait to see if he expands anti-HIV funding and programming as an issue that affects the general population, not just gay folks. The proof will be in the implementation and I do trust him to have the sense to accept science and counsel from a non-politicized CDC.

[noiretextatique]

22. AIDS is a problem in every community

it's not just straight women who contract AIDS. my cousin, a lesbian, died from AIDS in March.

[Zuiderelle]

24. I agree. It's not just a gay issue, it's in every community. That's my whole point.

I'm sorry about your cousin. That's a real tragedy.

My point though was that it is not only a gay issue. Lesbians who exclusively have sex only with other women are the least likely to contract HIV. So, I'm rather doubtful that the outreach to women is to lesbian women.

[noiretextatique]

25. thanks...my cousin lived for 10+ years with AIDS

she lived it a lot longer than i thought she would. she was very likely both an intravenous drug user and a prostitute at one point in her life. she finally cleaned up her life after a 5 year stint in prison, but by then she had full-blown AIDS. very tragic...the mistakes she made as a teenager literally cost her life.

women can identify as lesbian and still have sex with men, use drugs, have sex for money, be victims of rape or abuse or have artificial insemination, all of which can put them at risk for HIV.

but you are right...it's not just a gay issue.

[Zuiderelle]

26. I certainly don't mean to disagree with you.

I just wanted to be clear on what I meant, that lumping outreach to women about HIV under a "gay" umbrella is not a wise thing to do since it's not exclusively a gay issue. And though I agree with you that some women who identify as lesbians could and do have sex with men, lesbians are still the least likely category of person likely to get HIV, even including those. (I did also clarify in my post "lesbians who have sex exclusively with other women" to be clear). Though the number of lesbians who acquire HIV in the same manner as any other group, intravenous drug use or rape, or by artificial insemination still don't push lesbians out of the lowest risk group.

Doesn't change the tragedy of your cousin's situation of anyone else having to live with and die of AIDS when there could have been so much more done about it all these years.

:pals:

[noiretextatique]

27. i see your point...and i agree

perhaps i will send obama an email :hi:

[ieoeja]

30. Common ground with straight people, maybe? n/t

[terrya]

13. I'll believe it when I see it.

Right now, on this subject, I'm wary of what politicians will say about enacting these measures...even Barack Obama.

[bluedawg12]

18. We'll see it when we keep the pressure up. :) Agreed, take nothing

for granted.

This thread is why the following article struck me and posted it, because it addresses just this issue: what do we now, that history seems to favor us...sort of?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=221x94111

"Whether most Americans will have an effective voice in these policies will depend on whether we tap our usually hidden source of power, our ability to refuse to cooperate on the terms imposed from above. "

[FreeState]

19. Thats a very good point - we have the energy and the momentum now... for now at least

we must not let this opportunity slip past us. I would love to see a letter writing campaign to Obama (or other method as well) in an effort gain his support for Marriage.

[LostinVA]

21. And I bet we won't be seeing much -- if any -- of it

[FreeState]

23. I think we will see most of it...

but Marriage Equality will be done via the court.

All the others are possible and many of them likely IMO (Hate Crimes, EDNA and Dont Ask Dont Tell are shoe ins IMO)

[terrya]

28. We certainly won't be seeing a repeal of DOMA

I just don't see the Obama Administration pushing for this.

I wish I can be proven wrong.

[Toasterlad]

31. Wrong Place

[Toasterlad]

32. A Giant-Sized Whatever.

He doesn't even say he'll FIGHT for second-class citizenship...only that he'll SUPPORT it.

Obama will spend more of his presidency concentrating on the size of chicken cages than he will on gay equality.

[IndianaGreen]

33. Separate but equal! Where have I heard that crap before?

Obama's mother could not have married either of her husbands because they were men of colour! The same assholes that supported such laws are the ones opposing marriage equality for gays and lesbians.

[Smarmie Doofus]

36. It would be nice if he reasserted his opposition to Prop 8.

And backed efforts to throw it out.