Happy Friday! President Obama decision to mandate visitation rights to the partners of gay men and lesbians adds to a growing
list of actions — big, small and ceremonial — taken by the federal
government at the behest of gay rights groups eager to extend various
rights and benefits to the LGBT community. Let’s review:
April 8, 2009: The White House announces that gay and lesbian parents are invited with their children to attend the
White House Easter Egg Roll.
June 17, 2009: Obama signs a memorandum extending some federal benefits to same-sex partners
of federal workers. The measure does not cover health care and
retirement benefits. He also pledges support for legislation that would
extend all benefits to same-sex partners.
June 29, 2009: The White House holds a Gay Pride Day celebration.
July 31, 2009: Obama posthumously awards the President Medal of Freedom to slain gay rights leader Harvey
Milk.
Oct. 11, 2009: “I will end, ‘don’t ask, don’t tell,'” Obama
tells the Human Rights Campaign, repeating a campaign pledge. He
later makes
the same pledge in his January State of the Union address.
Oct. 28, 2009: Obama signs a hate crimes bill that makes it illegal to assault a person because of their sexual orientation
or gender identity.
Jan. 4, 2010: The State Department ends a ban on people with HIV from entering the United States.
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