Obama appoints record number of gay officials

[sabra]

http://www.baywindows.com/index.php?ch=news&sc=glbt&sc2=news&sc3=&id=112225

Less than halfway through his first term, President Barack Obama has appointed more openly gay and lesbian officials than any other president in history.

Gay activists say the estimate of more than 150 appointments so far -- from agency heads and commission members to policy officials and senior staffers -- surpasses the previous high of about 140 reached during two full terms under President Bill Clinton.

"From everything we hear from inside the administration, they wanted this to be part of their efforts at diversity," said Denis Dison, spokesman for the Presidential Appointments Project of the Gay & Lesbian Leadership Institute.

...

"It’s both significant and rather ordinary," said Michael Cole, a spokesman for the gay rights group Human Rights Campaign. "It’s a simple affirmation of the American ideal that what matters is how you do your job and not who you are."

...

White House spokesman Shin Inouye confirmed the record number, saying Obama has hired more gay officials than the Clinton and George W. Bush administrations combined. He said Obama "is proud that his appointments reflect the diversity of the American public."

[Ozymanithrax]

1. An interesting counter narrative... n/t

[MuseRider]

2. ...

""It’s both significant and rather ordinary," said Michael Cole, a spokesman for the gay rights group Human Rights Campaign. "It’s a simple affirmation of the American ideal that what matters is how you do your job and not who you are.""

Yet who you are keeps you from being an equal citizen in this country. Nice try.

[Duncan Grant]

3. All of Obama's LGBT appointees are second-class citizens.

Let's get excited when the substantive social and economic justice issues of LGBT people are championed.

LGBT rights aren't a PR campaign.

[MuseRider]

4. That is perhaps the best

statement in reply to this I have ever seen.

:applause:

[Duncan Grant]

5. Thanks, MuseRider.

I wish more people at DU felt the same way. :hi:

[mitchtv]

15. I do

thank you

[leftstreet]

6. +1

Well said!

[cordelia]

9. Eloquently stated.

[Bluebear]

7. There are many more 'openly gays' than when Clinton was in office.

Just sayin'.

[QC]

8. How many of them can get married or join the army? n/t

[Donald Ian Rankin]

10. 150 jobs nationwide is meaningless.

I'm all in favour of giving Obama and the democrats credit where it's due, but it isn't due here.

[piratefish08]

11. as long as two of them don't meet, fall in love and want to get married

then this is great news.

[JNelson6563]

12. All progress is good.

:toast:

[mitchtv]

16. some progress is better

while some progress is lip service. I would prefer progress which will survive after Obama's presidency

[davidinalameda]

17. I want progress during his presidency

real progress

[usregimechange]

13. kick

[Creideiki]

14. You know...

there are actual good substantive things that Obama has done--putting an emphasis on using renewable energy at the White House and planting a garden at the White House.

Why pull up something that really isn't all that impressive?

It's not like this "proves" that Obama's not homophobic (note: I'm not saying he is, I'm just saying this isn't proof or something that should bind all gay people to his will or anything). Bush liked Ken Mehlman and gave him a really important job. Bush was still homophobic.