Obama and gay rights

I penned an article for t2u’s digital Politics magazine FPTP on this topic some months back, but events in Congress this week merit revisiting the issue.

The Senate’s decision this week to overturn the 1993 “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy which operates in the military whereby gay soldiers are allowed to serve so long as they are not explicit about their sexuality has come as a relief to a group which was once one of the most ardent set of supporters of Barack Obama.

Despite joyous scenes throughout the United States among lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender (LGBT) people in response to the Senate vote, President Obama has largely disappointed gay rights supporters who felt he didn’t move fast enough in delivering on promises he made to during his ‘08 campaign.

Obama has, however, lived up to one of his pledges when he signed a law in October 2009 that makes it a federal crime to assault an individual because of his or her sexual orientation or gender identity. Obama has also advanced gay rights (albeit only marginally) in expanding hospital visitation rights for same-sex partners, and extending some federal benefits (but not pensions) for gay couples.

But in terms of the changes he has made so far, he has largely kept in line with public opinion. He has yet to repeal the Defence of Marriage Act (DOMA), a law signed by President Clinton in 1996 which limits the way state and federal bodies recognise gay couples and decide benefits, and the Justice Department even chose to appeal against a district court that ruled DOMA unconstitutional.

Critics within the gay community (which is largely of a liberal hue) argue that this is because the public do not show the same degree of support for gay marriage as they have done for ending don’t ask, don’t tell. So whilst repealing the gay military ban represents part of a political fightback in terms of Obama’s re-election bid, the fight for equal rights for the LGBT community is arguably tougher.