Obama declares LGBT Pride Month!

Happy LGBT Pride Month. President Obama has made a declaration that JUNE 2009 begins LGBT Pride Month. Keep up the fight my friends! We are making progress.

From the White House:

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

Artist Shepard Fairey on Colbert Report

Check Obama's favorite criminal, Shepard Fairey, on the Colbert Report. Street artist and founder of Obey is interviewed about the creation of the "HOPE" poster for the Obama campaign. Shepard is pretty adorable.

Check out the clip on Hulu - which I love for free TV and movie clips on my laptop.

Video: Anne Hathaway to Obama "Explain Rick Warren"

The lovely Anne Hathaway tells E! while at the Palms Springs International Film Festival that she'd like President Obama to "Explain that choice of Rick Warren." Thanks for speaking out Anne!

Don't Wait, Start Now! Protest DOMA.

Protest DOMA this weekend, January 10th! Don't wait, START NOW... You can begin gathering signatures in support of the repeal of DOMA. Find 10 ways you can help below. As you know, you can always get FREE PROTEST POSTERS here, to 

From Join the Impact:

A little under 1 year ago when Barack Obama was running for president he wrote an Open Letter to our community. A community where many members do not have equal protections under the law. A minority community that has felt the sting of discrimination, and held on to love to build bridges in the hope of overcoming.

The opening to this letter still chokes me up today: "I'm running for President to build an America that lives up to our founding promise of equality for all ‐ a promise that extends to our gay brothers and sisters. It's wrong to have millions of Americans living as second‐class citizens in this nation. And I ask for your support in this election so that together we can bring about real change for all LGBT Americans."

In this letter, Barack Obama promised to repeal laws that discriminate against the LGBT community. He vowed to

Repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and ensure that states treat same-sex couples with full equality in their family and adoption laws
Enact a fully inclusive Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) to outlaw discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity
Repeal 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'
Enact the Matthew Shepard Act to outlaw hate crimes against our community
Confront the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the stigma surrounding it
Amend the Uniting American Families Act to afford same-sex couples the same rights and obligations as married couples in our immigration system

A letter was crafted in response to Obama to remind him of his promises that we expect him to keep. This is not an online petition. Studies have shown that they are far less effective than the obvious blood sweat and tears that went in to physical signatures. Imagine Barack Obama sitting in the Oval Office with One Million of our voices in his hands. We need Real People, Real Signatures, Real Change.

Signature gathering has already begun.

Here's 10 ways you can help get signatures:

1. Gather signatures at your place of work (make sure it doesn't hinder your HR policy)
2. Go out to the bars on Friday and Saturday nights and get signatures
3. Go to your local screening of MILK and get signatures from individuals in line or as they are leaving
4. Go to local stores and ask that they put the signature pages at the counter
5. Grab a friend and canvas your neighborhood asking for signatures
6. Go to a local event to gain signatures (Art Walks, Concerts, etc)
7. Take a copy to class and ask your teacher if you can announce that you're gathering signatures.
8. Attend one of the National Rallies on January 10th to gain signatures (find your rally here)
9. Go to church on Sunday and ask for signatures
10. Use the power of the internet: Email this letter, Blog about it, ping all your friends on Facebook/MySpace, send this message to EVERYONE

As always, when on private property be sure to ask for permission.

JOIN THE IMPACT ON THE WHITE HOUSE:
Print the Open Letter
Print Signature pages

Mail all signature pages by January 12th to:

Join The Impact
PO Box 141491
Columbus, OH 43214

Obama Don't DOMA!

We are coming together as a community asking the supporters of the LGBT community and marriage equality to help us repeal DOMA. We need to gather 1 million signatures to deliver to on an Open Letter to President Barak Obama his first day in office. We want him to know that we will not wait for equality! NATIONAL PROTEST of DOMA on January 10th!

[  Download the Protest Poster: OBAMA DON'T DOMA  ]

[ click to enlarge + download ]

Open Letter to Barak Obama - 1 MILLION Signatures Needed!

In protest of DOMA (Defense of Marraige Act), we are coming together as a community asking the supporters of the LGBT community and marriage equality to help us gather 1 million signatures to deliver to President Barak Obama his first day in office. We want him to know that we will not wait for equality!

We need you to help. It's easy and every signature represents a supporter helping us get closer to our goal. Reach out to the largest group of people you know that support you and your right for Marriage Equality and for your love to be recognized equally under the law. Think of all the people you know - friends, family, co-workers, church members, neighbors, business owners - and ask them to support YOU.

Step 1:  READ the Open Letter to Obama
Step 2:  PRINT out the Letter and Signature Pages
Step 3:  COLLECT signatures from people who support you

Step 4:  MAIL your pages in by January 12, 2009.

OPEN LETTER TO OBAMA
> Print the Open Letter to Obama and Signature Forms

January 21, 2009

Dear President Obama,

Congratulations on your historic and inspiring victory. Your lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender citizens, along with families, friends, and heterosexual allies, would like to welcome you to the White House. We are thrilled to see that true change has come to this country.

During your election campaign you wrote an open letter to us, making it clear that you were committed to gaining ‘full equality for the millions of LGBT people in this country.’ In that letter you asked for our vote and promised to:

• Repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and ensure that states treat same-sex couples with full equality in their family and adoption laws

• Enact a fully inclusive Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) to outlaw workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity

• Repeal ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’

• Enact the Matthew Shepard Act to outlaw hate crimes against our community

• Confront the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the stigma surrounding it

• Amend the Uniting American Families Act to afford same-sex couples the same rights and obligations as married couples in our immigration system 

We come to you as esteemed citizens of the United States of America in need of equal protections under the law for all families. The LGBT community is part of this diverse country, but do not share the same rights as their heterosexual brothers and sisters. In the spirit of family, respect, and of course, hope, we will work with you to make these promises become a reality.

We paid attention to the statements you made during your campaign, and we voted for you. Now, as you take office, we ask something in return. Please keep your promises to the LGBT community and provide the leadership needed to achieve true equality for all Americans.

Sincerely, Your Fellow Americans

###

Now, PRINT out the Open Letter to Obama and Signature Forms. 

Collect Signatures and Mail them in! The deadline for mailing the signature pages is January 12 for us to get them to Barack Obama on his first day in office.

MAIL SIGNATURES TO:

JOIN THE IMPACT
PO Box 141491
Columbus, OH 43214

PROTEST DOMA JANUARY 10

Join your friends and family of the LGBT Community and Protest DOMA on January 10th. We need to collect 1 Million signatures from across the country to President Obama on his Inauguration Day. We will not wait for him to act on his promises to our community.

RuPaul as Michelle AND Barack Obama. This is not a drag!

Check out this great photo of the amazing RuPaul as Michelle AND Barack Obama. RuPaul has a new show coming to Logo in February called "RuPaul's Drag Race". Thanks to Southern4Life for sharing.