The Importance of a First Kiss

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Today history was made. It was just a few seconds in the life of two women - but it made news across the country. It's a Navy tradition to have a couple do the first homecoming kiss. A raffle is done on the ship and the winner gets to be the first to greet their loved one and give "the first kiss." Today that kiss was done by a lesbian couple for the first time. Petty Officer 2nd Class Marissa Gaeta bought 50 raffle tickets and her name was chosen. Her girlfriend, Petty Officer 3rd Class Citlalic Snell was among the many family members gathered to meet the sailors as they came home. For more details on the historic kiss I recommend this article.

It's small moments like this, the everyday ones that most people take for granted that LGBT individuals dream of. In one of the links I looked at an individual commented, "Why is this news?" On the one had I couldn't agree more. It shouldn't be news. It is just normal everyday life. A ship comes into port, a plane lands at an airport, a car arrives at a house. People head to greet their loved ones that they haven't seen in days, weeks, month. They embrace - they kiss. It's not earth shattering. It's not news worthy.

Unless it's the first one after that happens after a law said you couldn't do it.

Then it puts a smile on your face for the whole day. Progress. All we want is to do the everyday things. All we want is to not make news.

Someday.

The video of the event and a short interview with the women is below.

Behind the Scenes Video of Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Signing

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The White House shows again how proud President Obama is to have signed the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. The video includes interviews with Rep. Patrick Murphy, who championed the bill in the House and Captain Jonathan Hopkins, who was discharged under Don't Ask, Don't Tell.

Andrew Tobias Lists Accomplishments of Administration and Congress

Image via WikipediaAndrew Tobias, Treasurer of the Democratic National Committee, put out a list of accomplishments made by President Obama earlier this year. He just revised the list to cover the first two years of the Obama administration and Congress. Tobias, an openly gay man has been trying to make the case to the LGBT community to continue to give it's time, money and support to both Obama and the Democratic party. This has been more difficult than Tobias may have guessed. The LGBT community has been one of the most vocal on the left about not seeing the progress being made toward equality. Many have called for the community to stop giving to the Democratic part and some have gone as far as saying not to vote for Dems.

You can see Tobias' updated list in full here at eQulaityGiving.org but I am going to go through some of the highlights here.

Tobias divided the accomplishments into three sections. The first one covered are the federal legislations signed into law. There are three things listed - signing of Hate Crimes Prevention Act, signing of Repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell and the signing of the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act. While our community was hoping to get the Employment Non-Discrimination Act passed and the Defense of Marriage Act overturned let's be real. No one knew the Republicans were going to put the government at a standstill. Not to mention that the country was begging for the economy to be addressed and health care reform took FOREVER! To get Hate Crimes, a 10 project, and the repeal of DADT, a 17 year project, is impressive in my opinion. Just because we have a President that will sign legislation we want doesn't mean he can put it on his desk himself.

In the second section Tobias discusses the policies that were changed. I am going to quote a few of my top choices out of the 18 he has listed.

• Extended benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees in 2009 and, further in 2010
• Banned job discrimination based on gender identity throughout the Federal government (the nation's largest employer)
• Instructed HHS to require any hospital receiving Medicare or Medicaid funds (virtually all hospitals) to allow LGBT visitation rights
• Lifted the HIV Entry Ban effective January 2010

As we have seen the private sector is key to making changes for equality. Businesses providing benefits and having non-discrimination policies are one of the leading factors toward passing ENDA. Now the nation's largest employer has policies in place that many of the fortune 500 companies have. These policy changes are an example of Obama using his power to help set the tone of how he expects things to run. This sends a message to Congress that he would like all LGBT Americans to have these same rights. While losing the House of Representatives to the Republicans looks like we will not be getting any LGBT bills passed in the next two years we can hope the 2012 Presidential election will bring the Dems back into power. These policy changes along with continuous education of elected officials and the American people will help us pass ENDA in Obama's second term.

The final section Tobias calls Respect and Inclusion. While this section discusses 27 ways Obama has included the LGBT community in various awards, speeches and appointees there are a few things to highlight.

• Hired more openly LGBT officials in its first two years -- more than 150, including more than 20 "Senate-confirmables" -- than any previous administration hired in four years or eight
• Appointed Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan, instead of conservatives who would have tilted the Court even further to the right and virtually doomed our rights for a generation.
• Named open transgender appointees (the first President ever to do so)
• Dispatched the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to call on the Senate to repeal Don't Ask / Don't Tell
• Appointed long-time equality champion Chai Feldblum one of the four Commissioners of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

The last one is the one I want to comment on as it is again a sign of Obama planning ahead for the fight on ENDA. The appointment of Chai Feldblum will be an asset when we are able to move this issue forward. Obama has publicly stated multiple times he wants to see ENDA pass. This appointment is another sign of that commitment.

We can argue all we want about whether the LGBT community got everything it could in the last two years. If we think we could have gotten more then we must examine where the failures were and make adjustments for the next time. Let's face it, the LGBT community is more used to playing defense than it is offense. We may not have brought our 'A' game but I believe we got a lot in the last two years. I am excited to see what could happen in the next two, even with a Republican controlled House. There is work that can be done in the states to move Marriage Equality forward so when the time comes we will be ready to overturn DOMA. There is a lot of education that can be done on ENDA both in Congress and in the states. Also, we must concentrate on making sure there are candidates worth voting for in 2012 that will help us with ENDA and Marriage Equality.

These two years will set up the Presidential race. What will our list of accomplishments look like from now until the 2012 election? Will we have a list as long of work we as a community did to strengthen our position to play offense? Or will our community continue to play armchair quarterback and just complain after the fact?

Courage Campaign host DADT conversation with Lt. Dan Choi and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand

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Thursday I joined a conference call hosted by the Courage Campaign about repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell. On the call, Lt. Dan Choi and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. The timing of the call was great because Lt. Choi had just returned to his unit for a training exercise. There had been many questions about how he was allowed to do with DADT still in place.

Lt. Choi discussed the importance of going back when called. He told those on the call,

"I promised to go back. I feel it is my duty and my responsibility to go back and serve and to continue to speak out." 

Choi explained that he had never been officially discharged. Since he is fighting the discharge he is technically still in the guard. While on the call I had the chance to ask Lt. Choi a question. I was curious about where the order came from that brought him back to active duty? Lt. Choi first corrected me that he is "actively serving" as opposed to being on "active duty." Lt. Choi then said,

"My Commanding Officer called me in and said we need all the trained bodies we can get." 

Choi has consistently maintained that his CO never wanted to discharge him because of DADT. Choi also responded to the idea that he has been silenced by returning to service. Choi stated,

"I am not being silenced and will continue to speak out."

Choi mentioned that this is a test. Not a test for him but a test for our community. Choi challenged the listeners on the call,

"This is where we are tested - People are watching - Will you quit?"

Another key figure in the repeal process for DADT is Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. Sen. Gillibrand has been instrumental in bringing the DADT hearings to the Senate.

"Don't Ask, Don't Tell is a black mark on our history," said Gillibrand. 

Senator Gillibrand, when asking her colleagues what they needed to vote for this repeal, received two answers - leadership from the President and leadership from the military. Now that both have happened Gillibrand believes the Democrats have no choice but to vote for the repeal.

Gillibrand is hoping to make things happen quickly. She says,

"I want an immediate moratorium, repeal or a stoppage of funding for the discharges. I believe we can stop this now and then the military can have its year to decide how to implement it."

The Courage Campaign has a petition to repeal DADT immediately.Please go here and sign it today. These will be presented by Senator Gillibrand to Chairman Levin.

You can listen to the full conversation with Lt. Choi and Senator Gillenbrand here.

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• End Funding of DADT Discharges NOW (lezgetreal.com)
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• Defunding Don't Ask, Don't Tell Enforcement- A Stake Through The Heart Of The Law (lezgetreal.com)

Obama Delcares June LGBT Pride Month

President Obama has come under a lot of scrutiny from the LGBT community. There has been virtually no comment from the White House on many of the big topics that have hit the media recently - Don't Ask, Don't Tell, the Prop 8 decision, and the many Marriage Equality decsions happening in the states. People are upset that our fierce advocate seems to have gone in the closet on our issues.

Today however may show a shift in Obama's plans. There have been rumors that LGBT issues will be getting lots of White House attention in June. Apparently whatever they are up to starts with a Proclimation from the President.

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release June 1, 2009

LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDER PRIDE MONTH, 2009

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

Forty years ago, patrons and supporters of the Stonewall Inn in New York City resisted police harassment that had become all too common for members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community. Out of this resistance, the LGBT rights movement in America was born. During LGBT Pride Month, we commemorate the events of June 1969 and commit to achieving equal justice under law for LGBT Americans.

LGBT Americans have made, and continue to make, great and lasting contributions that continue to strengthen the fabric of American society. There are many well-respected LGBT leaders in all professional fields, including the arts and business communities. LGBT Americans also mobilized the Nation to respond to the domestic HIV/AIDS epidemic and have played a vital role in broadening this country’s response to the HIV pandemic.

Due in no small part to the determination and dedication of the LGBT rights movement, more LGBT Americans are living their lives openly today than ever before. I am proud to be the first President to appoint openly LGBT candidates to Senate-confirmed positions in the first 100 days of an Administration. These individuals embody the best qualities we seek in public servants, and across my Administration — in both the White House and the Federal agencies — openly LGBT employees are doing their jobs with distinction and professionalism.

The LGBT rights movement has achieved great progress, but there is more work to be done. LGBT youth should feel safe to learn without the fear of harassment, and LGBT families and seniors should be allowed to live their lives with dignity and respect.

My Administration has partnered with the LGBT community to advance a wide range of initiatives. At the international level, I have joined efforts at the United Nations to decriminalize homosexuality around the world. Here at home, I continue to support measures to bring the full spectrum of equal rights to LGBT Americans. These measures include enhancing hate crimes laws, supporting civil unions and Federal rights for LGBT couples, outlawing discrimination in the workplace, ensuring adoption rights, and ending the existing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy in a way that strengthens our Armed Forces and our national security. We must also commit ourselves to fighting the HIV/AIDS epidemic by both reducing the number of HIV infections and providing care and support services to people living with HIV/AIDS across the United States.

These issues affect not only the LGBT community, but also our entire Nation. As long as the promise of equality for all remains unfulfilled, all Americans are affected. If we can work together to advance the principles upon which our Nation was founded, every American will benefit. During LGBT Pride Month, I call upon the LGBT community, the Congress, and the American people to work together to promote equal rights for all, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim June 2009 as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month. I call upon the people of the United States to turn back discrimination and prejudice everywhere it exists.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of June, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-third.

BARACK OBAMA

Time will only tell is Obama is finally ready to be our fierce advocate and come out of the closet. I know that this country has many problems left by the previous administration and maybe LGBT rights aren't first on the list. But if we let our priorities drop something else will always come up. It's time for the President to use his strength and get Congress to pass protections for us. With Hate Crimes in the Senate and Employment Non-Discrimination Act coming to the front soon we need him to be on the front lines. And we need him to be a leader when it comes to repealing DADT. I understand he alone can't stop it but he needs to speak out and use the power he does have by issuing stop losses so the firing of the soldiers can be stopped.

President Obama this is a great start. I am not surprised that you made this move. We know you believe in our equality but we need you to continue to use your voice and to start to make things happen in Congress.