Obama’s gay confusion

How are relations between the Obama camp, and a key constitutency within the Democrat Party?

Notwithstanding the joyous scenes throughout the United States among lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender (LGBT) people in response to Obama’s repealing of “don’t ask, don’t tell” last December, Obama has largely disappointed gay rights supporters who feel he hasn’t moved fast enough in delivering on promises he made to gay groups during his ‘08 campaign.

So what other progress has Obama made? As well as ending the gays in the military ban, Obama has lived up to another of his pledges when he signed a law in October 2009 that made 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, 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.

This may go some way to explain the mixed messages that have come out of the White House in the last couple of weeks. According to the Huffington Post, in response to questioning about the gay marriage vote in New York state, Obama said gay couples “deserve the same legal rights as every other couple in this country.” But this comment came shortly after he had already called gay marriage an issue for the states.

Obama is under pressure to clarify his position, and he would be wise to do so if he wants to motivate a key segment of the coalition that swept him to power in time for his bid for a second term next autumn. As some gay campaigners have pointed out, New York’s approval of gay marriage is progress, but slow progress.