Open Letter From Hillary Clinton To The LGBT Community

From Clinton, this is great too:

“As I have traveled around the country these past twelve months, what I sensed in my heart has been confirmed – America is embracing its LGBT sons and daughters with an acceptance and understanding as never before. On the campaign trail, a father of a gay son will ask about ending Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. A woman will ask why she can be discriminated against just because of who she is. Sometimes they wait furtively for the crowd to thin and then whisper their confidences in a soft voice and sometimes they stand up proudly at town meetings and want me to share my views on how I will help lead the change to assure that this country fulfills its promise to everyone.

Let me tell you what I have been telling voters across America. I am fully committed to the fair and equal treatment of LGBT Americans. For seven long years, the Bush Administration has tried to divide us – only seeing people who matter to them. It’s been a government of the few, by the few, and for the few. And no community has been more invisible to this administration than the LGBT community.

I will change that. The best evidence of what I will do as President is what I have already done.

I am proud of my record as First Lady, as a U.S. Senator and as a candidate for President in working toward the fair and equal treatment of LGBT Americans.

· I am proud that as Chair of the Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee in 2006, I worked closely with LBGT community to develop a smart strategy that defeated the Federal Marriage Amendment. I am proud of fighting the FMA as divisive wedge politics at its worst.

· I am proud to be a co-sponsor of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, the Matthew Shepard Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, and the Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligation Act which would grant the same benefits (including health insurance) to domestic partners of federal employees that are currently offered to employees’ legal spouses.

· I am proud to have authored the Early Treatment for HIV Act, which expands access to vital treatment options for low-income individuals living with HIV, and fought to fully fund the Ryan White CARE Act.

· I am proud that I hired a National Director of LGBT Outreach within a month of announcing my candidacy for President and to have openly gay and lesbian staffers serving at all levels of my campaign.

· I am proud to have a National LGBT Steering Committee of over 130 that includes openly LGBT elected officials, Board members and opinion leaders on issues ranging from transgender rights, to HIV/AIDS, to “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell”.

· I am proud to have marched in Gay Pride parades as both First Lady and as Senator and to have spoken in front of so many LGBT audiences ranging from the Human Rights Campaign, Empire State Pride Agenda, the Hetrick Martin Institute, PFLAG (Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays), GMHC (Gay Men’s Health Crisis), and the American Foundation for AIDS Research.

· I am proud to have fought Republican efforts to demonize and marginalize the LGBT community, and I will continue to do that as President.

We have so much work to do. When I am President, we will work together to make sure that all Americans in committed relationships have equal benefits and that nothing stands in the way of loving couples who want to adopt children in need. We’re going to expand our federal hate crimes legislation and pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and assure that they are both fully inclusive of all people. And finally, we will put an end to the failed policy of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. Courage, honor, patriotism and sacrifice – the traits that define our men and women in uniform – have nothing to do with sexual orientation.

My father was a conservative Republican, who held very traditional views for much of his life. Yet in his last years, it was a gay couple who lived next door who provided much of the compassion and comfort he and my mother needed as he grew ill. And it was that same neighbor who held his hand as he died. If my father can move, America can move.

To each and every LGBT American, I say this. You have done so much to help this country understand your lives by simply being open and honest about who you are and living your lives with dignity. Thank you for your courage. It is time that we recognize your hard work. I know that this country is ready for changes in the law that reflect the evolution in our hearts.

America deserves a President who appeals to the best in each of us, not the worst; a President who values and respects all Americans and treats all Americans equally no matter who they are or who they love. I want to be that President. I want to be your President.”

7 thoughts on “Open Letter From Hillary Clinton To The LGBT Community

  1. Just FYI – Hillary released her letter several months ago, I’m not sure why it took Barack so long and why he is doing it now. It’s a little suspect. I do like him but she has been on our side for much longer. With Barack, we are trusting that he will make good on all of his promises and his beautiful words. With Hillary, she already has. That is the difference and It’s important to me.

  2. Personally, I have a really hard time trusting Hillary on LGBT issues. I can’t help but remember that after all the money and support poured into her husband’s campaign from our community, we were repaid “thanks” with DADT and DOMA. Obama has pledged to repeal both in their entirety and that is one of the many reason that he has my vote in this election.

  3. I respect Hillary Clinton – she has always supported the GLBT community, but she is far removed from dealing with our issues. She has not come out for full immigration rights for civil partners. I am sick and tired of having certain states accept (MA), or not (AL) wanting to deal with my sexuality. I am sick and tired of dealing with the defence of marriage act. I am sick and tired of dealing with having California strike down gay marriages between loving and commited couple in SF in 2004 as if that were normal. I got so sick of this that I immigrated to the UK.

    I met my British partner right after I came over to London. I was engaged a year and a half later – and not like in the US, I can actually get married here for real. You have rights here, not applicable in certain states, but in the whole country. After two years, I am still happily married. What I want to ask Hillary and Obama, is why when I call the US embassy in London do they tell me that if I apply for a green card for my husband, it is a criminal offense because of Clinton’s defense of marriage act? The UK has given me full immigration rights (just the same as any straight couple). Why can’t our government do this for my husband? We do not necessarily want to live in the US, but I am an American and want to have the option of bringing my husband to my country. It is my right as an American.

    Greg

  4. I remember how angry those of us involved in queer activism were about the homophobia of Bill Clinton’s administration. Hillary Clinton keeps defending that administration, which makes me think she will be just as awful as he is.

  5. She’s not as awful as she could be, and I realize that. I won’t compare her to say, George Bush. But she’s opportunistic, and willing to compromise on the issues when it suits her, and not always with much regard for how it affects the lives of queer folk.

    That said, I can’t understand how any politician could possibly have the chutzpah to say she (or he) supports gay Americans, and yet, when asked, does not offer things like full marriage rights which are required for legal equality. Basically, the message is “yes, I love you — now go sit at the kid’s table, the grown ups are eating.”

  6. Hillary didn’t release this ‘several months ago.’ she released it the same month as Obama’s, on Feb 4th, the day before super Tuesday. nice timing!

    What promise has she made good on? She still supports DOMA.

  7. Hillary has always supported LGBT and I will support her. Remember, politicians sometimes have to pass their agendas slowly until the timiing is right and the rest of the world is ready to accept certain issues. If not, the politician is out and we could have no representation at all. That’s just smart politics.

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