Gay rights advocates fill the west lawn of the Capitol during a rally in Washington, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009. The National Equality March took place one day after President Obama vowed to fight with...
(AP)
The address on Saturday at an event hosted by the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender organisation "drew a clear line in the sand for the world to see: this administration believes in and will work with the LGBT community and our allies to achieve full equality under the law for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans", said Mitchell Gold, founder of nonreligious organisation Faith in America.
"President Obama’s presence and words represented his recognition that LGBT people are a normal part of our diverse society".
It was an evening of standing ovations and loud applause as thousands of gay rights supporters heard Obama say he is on their side. He called LGBT people his friends and assured them that despite some of the pressing issues, including the economy, on his desk he remains "unwavering" in his commitment to them.
"We cannot and we will not put aside issues of basic equality," Obama said at the Human Rights Campaign's 13th Annual National Dinner. "This fight continues now. And I'm here with a simple message: I'm here with you in that fight."
Many are hailing Obama as the first US president to express such strong commitment to the LGBT people.
HRC president Joe Solmonese stated, "This was a historic night when we felt the full embrace and commitment of the President of the United States. It’s simply unprecedented."
During his speech Saturday, Obama said his administration is "moving ahead" on the "don't ask, don't tell" policy, which bans gays and lesbians from serving openly in the armed forces. He promised to sign into law an inclusive hate crimes bill, which would expand federal protection to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people, as well as push the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, and repeal the federal Defense of Marriage Act.
The issue of marriage drew out the most emotion and applause from the crowd. Obama noted that when they would look back over the years of his administration, they would "see a time in which we as a nation finally recognised relationships between two men or two women as just as real and admirable as relationships between a man and a woman."
Obama also made it no secret that he wants to go beyond policy changes and change hearts.
