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“While we have come a long way since the Stonewall riots in 1969, we still have a lot of work to do. Too often, the issue of LGBT rights is exploited by those seeking to divide us. But at its core, this issue is about who we are as Americans. It’s about whether this nation is going to live up to its founding promise of equality by treating all its citizens with dignity and respect.” – Barack Obama
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* *Expand Hate Crimes Statutes:* In 2004, crimes against LGBT
Americans constituted the third-highest category of hate crime
reported and made up more than 15 percent of such crimes. Barack
Obama cosponsored legislation that would expand federal
jurisdiction to include violent hate crimes perpetrated because of
race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender
identity, or physical disability. As a state senator, Obama passed
tough legislation that made hate crimes and conspiracy to commit
them against the law.

* *Fight Workplace Discrimination:* Barack Obama supports the
Employment Non-Discrimination Act, and believes that our
anti-discrimination employment laws should be expanded to include
sexual orientation and gender identity. While an increasing number
of employers have extended benefits to their employees’ domestic
partners, discrimination based on sexual orientation in the
workplace occurs with no federal legal remedy. Obama also
sponsored legislation in the Illinois State Senate that would ban
employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

* *Support Full Civil Unions and Federal Rights for LGBT Couples:*
Barack Obama supports full civil unions that give same-sex couples
legal rights and privileges equal to those of married couples.
Obama also believes we need to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act
and enact legislation that would ensure that the 1,100+ federal
legal rights and benefits currently provided on the basis of
marital status are extended to same-sex couples in civil unions
and other legally-recognized unions. These rights and benefits
include the right to assist a loved one in times of emergency, the
right to equal health insurance and other employment benefits, and
property rights.

* *Oppose a Constitutional Ban on Same-Sex Marriage:* Barack Obama
voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment in 2006 which would
have defined marriage as between a man and a woman and prevented
judicial extension of marriage-like rights to same-sex or other
unmarried couples.

* *Repeal Don’t Ask-Don’t Tell:* Barack Obama agrees with former
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff John Shalikashvili and other
military experts that we need to repeal the “don’t ask, don’t
tell” policy. The key test for military service should be
patriotism, a sense of duty, and a willingness to serve.
Discrimination should be prohibited. The U.S. government has spent
millions of dollars replacing troops kicked out of the military
because of their sexual orientation. Additionally, more than 300
language experts have been fired under this policy, including more
than 50 who are fluent in Arabic. Obama will work with military
leaders to repeal the current policy and ensure it helps
accomplish our national defense goals.

* *Expand Adoption Rights:* Barack Obama believes that we must
ensure adoption rights for all couples and individuals, regardless
of their sexual orientation. He thinks that a child will benefit
from a healthy and loving home, whether the parents are gay or not.

* *Promote AIDS Prevention:* In the first year of his presidency,
Barack Obama will develop and begin to implement a comprehensive
national HIV/AIDS strategy that includes all federal agencies. The
strategy will be designed to reduce HIV infections, increase
access to care and reduce HIV-related health disparities. Obama
will support common sense approaches including age-appropriate sex
education that includes information about contraception, combating
infection within our prison population through education and
contraception, and distributing contraceptives through our public
health system. Obama also supports lifting the federal ban on
needle exchange, which could dramatically reduce rates of
infection among drug users. Obama has also been willing to
confront the stigma — too often tied to homophobia — that
continues to surround HIV/AIDS. He will continue to speak out on
this issue as president.

* *Empower Women to Prevent HIV/AIDS:* In the United States, the
percentage of women diagnosed with AIDS has quadrupled over the
last 20 years. Today, women account for more than one quarter of
all new HIV/AIDS diagnoses. Barack Obama introduced the
Microbicide Development Act, which will accelerate the development
of products that empower women in the battle against AIDS.
Microbicides are a class of products currently under development
that women apply topically to prevent transmission of HIV and
other infections.