So you think Obama is just supporting Gay Marriage and the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) suddenly for political reasons? Where have you been? Did you just awaken from a coma? President Obama is the most pro-gay president in the history of the United States. The accomplishments racked up for the LGBT community are significant milestones in the history of the progress towards greater equality. It will be very difficult to ever exceed this much support.
I Challenge you to honestly read each and every single one of these accomplishments and declarations and really think about it. Don’t just skim through! Some very important things have changed thanks to President Obama. See for yourself what has been done. The following list of declarations, actions and accomplishments are still happening and have been brought together from the various sources on the internet and from Obama/Biden’s website Progress For LGBT Americans. Remember to check back on this post periodically to get all the latest updates.

Click Here to see each individual year with full video clips

Jan 19 — President-elect Barack Obama visits an emergency homeless shelter for teenagers in the nation’s capital as part of his commitment to the Martin Luther King Day of Service.

Jun 1 — Presidential Proclamation of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, And Transgender Pride Month, 2009

Jun 17 — “Ordered the federal government to extend key benefits to same–sex partners of federal employees.”

Jun 29 — “Hosted the first-ever White House LGBT Pride reception.”

Aug 12 — “Awarded the highest civilian honor, the Medal of Freedom, to Billie Jean King and Harvey Milk.”

Oct 21 — “Created a National Resource Center for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Elders.”

Oct 28 — “Signed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act into law.”

Oct 28 — “President Obama’s Remarks at White House Hate Crimes Act Reception

Jan 1 — “Banned discrimination in federal workplaces based on gender identity.”

Jan 4 — “Lifted the ban that prohibited people with HIV/AIDS from entering the United States.”

Feb 10 — “Secretary Sebelius Awards Funding for a National Technical Assistance Resource Center for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Elders.”

Mar 23 — “Enacted the Affordable Care Act, reforming health care in America by lowering costs, expanding choice, and improving health care quality.”

Apr 15 — “Ensured hospital visitation and medical decision-making rights for gay and lesbian patients.”

“She did not die in vain” – Anderson Cooper interview of Janice Langbehn who was denied the right to see her partner of 17 years at the hospital before she died, which led to this new directive by President Obama.

May 28 — Presidential Proclamation of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, And Transgender Pride Month, 2010

Jun 9 — “Allowed transgender Americans to receive true gender passports without surgery.”

Jun 15 — “President Obama speaks at a White House reception marking LGBT Pride Month.”

Jun 22 — “Clarified the Family and Medical Leave Act to ensure family leave for LGBT employees.”

Jun 22 — “Released America’s first comprehensive plan to prevent and end homelessness, which includes homeless LGBT youth.”

Oct 1 — “Awarded a grant to the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Community Services Center to work with LGBT foster youth.”

Oct 19 — “U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton delivers a message to the LGBT community, “Tomorrow Will Be Better”

Oct 21 — “Recorded “It Gets Better” video to support LGBT youth experiencing bullying.”

Nov 17 — “Vice President Joe Biden releases “It Gets Better” video.”

Dec 21 — “Led a United Nations measure to restore ‘sexual orientation’ to the definition of human rights.”

Dec 22 — “Signed the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.'”

Feb 23 — “Declared the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional and announced the administration will no longer defend it in court.”

ABC World News with Diane Sawyer : Obama’s Stance Changes on Defense of Marriage Act 2/23/11

Mar 10 — “Hosted first-ever White House Conference on Bullying Prevention in America’s schools.”

Mar 16 — Senator Feinstein Introduces DOMA Repeal Legislation “Respect for Marriage Act”.

Mar 31 — “Completed an Institute of Medicine study on LGBT health, the first of its kind.”

May 27 — “Issued guidance to foster safer working environments for transgender federal employees.”

May 31 — Presidential Proclamation of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, And Transgender Pride Month, 2011

Jun 29 — “President Obama makes remarks at an event to observe LGBT Pride Month at the White House”

Jul 1 — Supported Karen Golinski’s case against DOMA.

Jul 19 — “Endorsed the Respect for Marriage Act, a legislative effort to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act.”

Jul 22 — Statement by the President on Certification of Repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell

Under Secretary of Defense Dr. Clifford Stanley – Pentagon: Don’t Ask Don’t Tell Policy Repealed.

Think Progress: Highlights from DADT repeal certification conference.

Aug 18 — “Clarified the meaning of ‘family’ to include LGBT relationships, helping to protect bi-national families threatened by deportation.”

Aug 19 — “Supported lesbian widow Edith Windsor in her suit against DOMA.”

• Top Eight Pro-Lgbt Arguments in the Obama Administration’s Anti-DOMA Brief
• Top Five Homophobic Statements From Boehner’s DOMA Briefs

From February 23, 2011 ACLU Client Edie Windsor sees promise…

Sep 15 — “Ended the Social Security Administration’s gender ‘no–match’ letters.”

President Obama Repeals “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” – Veterans speak

Sep 20 — “Implemented the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.'”

Sep 30 — “Permitted military chaplains to officiate same-sex marriages where legal.”

Oct 1 — “Addressed the annual Human Rights Campaign dinner for the second time.”

Oct 13 — “Alison Nathan becomes second openly gay appointee to be confirmed to the federal bench under President Obama’s nomination.”

Oct 20 — “Awarded Citizens’ Medal to Janice Langbehn, lesbian mother whose story paved the way for hospital visitation rights for same-sex couples.”

Oct 31 — “Included specific data on health needs of lesbian and bisexual women in the Health Resources and Services Administration’s ‘Women’s Health USA 2011’ federal report.”

Nov 1 — “In his presidential proclamation of National Adoption Month, President Obama called for equal treatment for same-sex adoptive parents.”

Dec 1 — “On World AIDS Day, recommitted the U.S. to creating an AIDS–free generation.”

Dec 6 — “Created first-ever U.S. government strategy dedicated to combating human rights abuses against LGBT persons abroad.”

Jan 28 — “Announced HUD’s new rule protecting against housing discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.”

Feb 2 — “Announced White House LGBT Conference Series to address issues affecting LGBT Americans, including health, housing, and safety.”

Feb 7 — “Promoted equal access to quality health care by enabling searches for health plans with same-sex partner benefits on Healthcare.gov.”

Feb 13 — “Proposed a 2013 federal budget for an economy built to last, including providing security for the LGBT community.”

Mar (no specific date given) — “Ensured transgender veterans receive respectful care according to their true gender through the Veterans Health Administration.”

Mar 15 — “Michael Fitzgerald, fourth openly gay nominee under President Obama, is confirmed to the federal bench in California.”

Mar 16 — “Came out against North Carolina’s Amendment 1, which would prohibit same-sex marriage in the state.”

May 9 — The day after the passage of the North Carolina state ban on all non traditional man + woman marriages including gay marriage, President Obama and Vice President Biden openly came out for Gay Marraige.

May 14 — The Obama Administration announces plans to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).

Jun 1 — Presidential Proclamation of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, And Transgender Pride Month, 2012

Jun 15 — President Obama holds Gay Pride Month Reception at White House

Jun 26 — Pentagon Celebrates Gay Pride For First Time.

Oct 25 — Obama Endorses Marriage Equality … Three Times (Washington, Maryland, & Maine)

Nov 20 — White House observes Transgender Day of Remembrance.

Dec 29 — Obama urges passage of Illinois marriage equality

Jan 11 — Obama Endorses Rhode Island Marriage Equality Effort

Jan 21 — Obama gives 2nd Inaugural Speech including the first ever mention of Gay Equality in any Inaugural Speech by any president of the United States of America.

Feb 3 — During Super Bowl Interview with Scott Pelley, President Obama came out against the discriminatory policy that the Boy Scouts still have of banning gays.

Feb 7 — Nominated openly gay Department of Justice attorney Todd Hughes to fill a seat on the Federal Circuit.

Feb 8 — Announced Citizens Medal honors including Jeanne Manford, cofounder of Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays.

Feb 11 — Defense Secretary Leon Panetta Signs Memo Extending Benefits to Same-Sex Domestic Partners of Military Members.

Feb 22 — Urges Supreme Court to strike down DOMA.

Feb 28 — Justice Department announces it will urge the U.S. Supreme Court to allow same-sex marriage to resume in California, wading into the protracted legal battle over Proposition 8 and giving gay-rights advocates a new court ally.

Mar 4 — Senate confirms first openly gay Asian-American to the federal bench.

Mar 13 — Comes out against the constitutionality of state bans on gay marriage.

Mar 13 — Beau Biden speaks out in support of Gay Marriage in Delaware. “All Delawareans should be able to marry the person they love, the person who they want to spend their life with. The freedom to marry is the fundamental, defining civil rights issue of our time.”

Mar 18 — Hillary Clinton comes out for gay marriage.

Mar 20 — Nominated openly gay attorney Elaine D. Kaplan, the current general counsel for the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, as one of two nominees to become a judge on the United States Court of Federal Claims.

Apr 30 — President Obama called NBA player Jason Collins to express his gratitude for coming out as gay.

May 31 — Presidential Proclamation of June as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, And Transgender Pride Month, 2013.

Jun 11 — U.S. Senator Patick Leahy re-introduces immigration amendment to ensure Bi-national same-sex couples receive the same benefits as their straight counterparts.

Jun 13 — White House LGBT Pride Month Reception [youtube]

Jun 19 — President Obama urges international community to embrace LGBT equality in Berlin speech.

Jun 21 — President Obama nominates two more openly gay men to diplomatic posts.

Jun 21 — United States Congressional Representatives Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) and Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.) announce bill to repeal dishonorable discharges given to gay veterans.

Jun 25 — For the first time, a Secretary of Defense, Chuck Hagel, Attended and Celebrated LGBT Pride Month at the Pentagon.

Jun 26 — U.S. Supreme Court strikes down key part of the Defense of Marriage Act and dismisses California Prop 8 case.

Jul 25 — Both Parties in Congress work on a bill that Congressional Representatives Charlie Rangel (D-NY) and Mark Pocan (D-WI) with the help of LGBT veterans have crafted that restores veteran benefits and retirement. Additionally the bill hopes to give them the ability to appeal their dishonorable discharge to be changed to honorable discharge and all mention of sexual orientation removed from the record for everyone who has been discharged for the sexual orientation since World War II.

Aug 8 — Pentagon to Offer 10 Days Paid Leave for Gay Service Members to Travel to States Where They Can Marry.

Sep 19 – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced new guidance which extends pension benefits to all married couples including gay marriages even if their state does not recognize gay marriages.

Sep 27 — Judge Mary Jacobson of the New Jersey Superior Court ruled on Friday in favor of marriage equality on the basis that the state’s current system of civil unions precludes gay couples from receiving the federal benefits of marriage.

Oct 21 — New Jersey Governor drops challenge against Gay Marriage ruling. New Jersey becomes 14th state to allow Gay Marriage.

• Cory Booker wins Senate special election in New Jersey
• Cory Booker officiates first Gay Marriages in New Jersey

Be sure to check out the Human Rights Campaign’s comprehensive resource:
“Obama Administration Policy, Legislative and Other Advancements on behalf of LGBT Americans”
This updated resource includes Regulatory and Policy Changes, Support of Pro-LGBT Legislation, Personnel, and Other Pro-LGBT Actions for your review.

So you say Obama was just doing all of this just to get re-elected November 2012? Well if that’s his secret plot to get my vote, then I’m proud to say he’s earned it a thousand times over.

There’s no shame in thanking President Obama for bringing positive change to the LGBT community. Even Republicans are switching their support to Obama because of his stance on gay marriage.

In supporting the LGBT Community as consistently and with intelligent contemplation, I personally give Obama an A+ triple check five gold stars and a second term in office!

– Citizen Observer

Excellent history of Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)