WASHINGTON (CNN) - Secretary of State Hillary Clinton pledged Monday to fight for gay rights and called on the world to stop discrimination and violence based on sexual orientation.
"As secretary of state, I will advance a comprehensive human rights agenda that includes the elimination of violence and discrimination against people based on sexual orientation or gender identity," Clinton said in a written statement.
President Barack Obama has proclaimed June to be Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month.
Clinton's statement marked the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall riots in New York City, often considered the launch of the U.S. gay rights movement.
"The example set by those fighting for equal rights in the United States gives hope to men and women around the world who yearn for a better future for themselves and their loved ones," Clinton said.
She acknowledged that gays and lesbians still have a long way to go to achieve equality in the United States, but noted homosexuals in some parts of the world live in constant fear of violence or arrest.
"The persecution of gays and lesbians is a violation of human rights and an affront to human decency, and it must end," Clinton said.
The Obama administration broke with that of George W. Bush to support a United Nations resolution calling for decriminalization of homosexuality, which is currently punishable by death in seven countries.
In addition, Clinton aides last month said the secretary of state soon will extend to same-sex partners of homosexual diplomats benefits equal to those that partners of their heterosexual colleagues receive.
In her statement Monday, Clinton saluted the service of "our lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees in Washington and around the world."
From CNN Politics
© 2011 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
| Advertising practices | Advertise with us | About us | Contact us | Work for us | Help
I have one thing to say! I love to listen to CNN, and how they twist every comment of past leaders. How can we make these comments work for our everyday. Production.. You must work real hard. But you can't kid a kidder. ...
Gay Rights are Human Rights. Homosexuality is a self-born right not a sinful crime.
I think that individuals should leave the President and the First Lady alone. If Republicans, Democrats, Independents, and or any other group for going out on a date. We as Americans need to look at the entire picture of re-structuring the government by limited allowable expenses for all who hold Public Office. The President has a right for some privacy.
Now, I would recommend that all who hold an MBA and Law Degree re-take an Ethics class. We are not in an economic situation because of the past President or current President. It takes a lot of greedy individuals to make a HUGE MESS. Therefore... Let's focus on what needs to be corrected and help the Middle Class Americans who are HURTING the MOST. Middle Class Americans are losing their jobs, homes, and more everyday. Why? The stimulus package is NOT working for the middle American.
Thank you, Secretary Clinton!
I've heard and seen it all now, I will never vote Republican again.
You go, girl! This issue is way more important than things like nuclear proliferation, human trafficking, starvation, and other silly things that most Secretaries of State have concerned themselves with.
How rich... the woman who thinks Gays shouldn't be able to marry promises to fight for gays worldwide!
Next – Osama Bin Laden will lead "Take me out to the Ballgame" at Yankee Stadium.
You need rights to be Happy? Gay's are Queers. The most unhappy of this planet.
So, what's the big deal with gays and lesbians? Why are people afraid of them? Why can't they marry and be miserable just like hetero married folks? It's not like they're going to reproduce and take over the world. A far greater threat is presented by bigoted rednecks and Bible thumpin' evangelists. You know....the Bible....that book that's 50% fairy tales and 50% barbarian history.
Good Luck with that, Madam Secretary.
I'm all for gay rights – if they want to marry, they should be as miserable as the rest of us. Just be fair across the board when it comes to the marriage penalty (look it up) and in actuarial tables when it comes to life insurance (again, look it up).
Good going SOS Clinton. Gays and Lesbians should have their rights, and praying the gay right out of you. Not my friend, trust me and I don't think he wants that either.
Let's see if I understand this - our economy is still in the tank; millions are unemployed; trillions in retirment savings have been lost; homes have been lost; we are in two wars; No Korea is firing missles and developing nuclear; Pakistan is in a life and death battle with Al Quesda; the government is going socialist; our debt is out of control and growing; and with that as a backdrop, our Secretary of State will travel the globe so that gays have the right to bonk each other in a holy state of matrimony... I am sooooooooooooo glad I am a Republican.
I love Hillary, but how about supporting gay rights (i.e. equal marriage) at home first??
let face it Bill Clinton turned Hillary into a lesbo, that is why she is fighting for queer rights. God Bless America. Send her and all those queers to queer world. Leave Anerica Alone
It's a start but we have a long way to go!
Please Mr. President, do the right thing and go further than just a "proclamation" and stand up for full equality in America!!!!!!!
It's ok that you don't agree with marriage equality but please don't deny it to all of us who do!
Standing up (ok, sitting down) for our rights!
I am disappointed in Clinton. Please don't sacrifice morality on the altar of politics! I know you need outspoken gays who will campaign for you, but our children, present and future should not be exposed to a reckless society!
At least someone in this administration is voicing concern for our rights...
No way chick! We should torture the gay's! They will give us good info that will save the unborn babies that they can't produce!
It's gods will. It's the american way! Torture gay people because it will cure them from being gay!
HOOOOORAAAAAY!!!!! Kudos to Hillary and Barack for their progressive stances and concerns for the well being of all human beings. Discrimination of all kinds must come to an end...and the time is now.
Please do us a favor hillary and pay attention to north korea first..save the wishy washy stuff for later
Mr President, isnt choosing to support one minority group over tons of other ones discrimination in itself? As good of a man as LBJ was, he will always be remembered for loosing the Democracts the South. Continue to thread in this direction, and all you will be remembered for will be loosing the entire Independent Mid West.
Precisely why the gay community so heavily supported her in the primary. Obama is doing nothing.
The hell with the gays, try negotiating world peace with our adversaries instead of pandering to the whims of social deviants...good God, where'd you libs pick up these mindless idiots?
BRAVO ... BRAVO ...
Real people ...
Real government ...
It's about time ...
Thank you Ms. Clinton for sharing a vision
That's our girl!
bill is not gay Hillary, but fighting for the minority shows a lack of respect for the majority, Just like a Clinton, only after one thing, praise for kissing butt.
So, we have no rights..but we should be grateful that Obama declared June to be our "pride month".
I believe we've taken that for our own first off...and I'd prefer the ability to marry my partner and be able to visit her in the hospital god forbid that ever happens...
I think I'll go w/ I'm angry I have no rights instead of thankful for having a month...
Yay!
Why don't we have National Straight Day? Do we have to have Gay Parades across America? Can't they just join the circus or something?
nice.!
That's really going to muddy up our Juneteenth celebrations here in Texas.
She should fight for gay rights in the middle east. They will love her there.
I would say this pretty much cancels out any good effect Barry will achieve when he visit Saudi Arabia next week. And I bet you Barry is seething right now over this remark.
I would hope the Annointed One (Hussein Obama) would see fit to proclaim one of the other months of the year as Heterosexual Month.
I would like union with my Chihuahua. Will Rodham support that ?
i love this lady more and more.
thank you hillary clinton, keep up the great work you do.
peace
She's a fantastic woman, and has spent her whole life fighting for the rights of others.
Citizens of 30 states amended their state constitutions to prevent activist judges from forcing same-sex "marriage" on them.
It is a safe bet that the US Supreme Court will force same-sex "marriage" on the entire country in the next couple years, overriding the state constitutions.
I applaud the effort but that claim rings hollow when the United States still discriminates against Homosexuals. We need to lead by example and not just in words.
God Please forgive our Country for not reading & following thy teachings!
Please and stay gone
I don't care what you do in your bedroom, but don't push your agenda on children. Why aren't polygomists included in the list?
I am glad to see that Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is taking LGBTQ rights seriously. I know that with her passion for women's rights that she will offer the same respect to people of Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual, Trans-Gender, and Queer identities. Have conservatives forgotten that it was the late Barry Morris Goldwater who said "you don't have to be straight; you just have to shoot straight"? This is of course referring to people of these sexual orientations serving in our Armed Forces. Keep up the great work Madam Secretary. You are doing a great job.
Go Hillary. I should have voted for you in the primary.
That's nice. Maybe she can start with CALIFORNIA!!!
Absolutely beautiful Hillary, thank you!
baby steps!
How about a Christian Month obama? How disgusting can it be to have a gay month. Need all the voters you can get obama? How about a cartoon month so all the Mickey Mouses can vote for you?
Why gay or women rights? Why not simply human rights? If all of us have human rights, doesn't that cover us all? Am I just too naive?
There will always be discrimination. Gay's just need to realize that. You can't change human nature, and it's not smart to try.
Let it be ,Hillary.There are far more crucial issues & needs for this country & the world !
Terrific
My hat is way off for you Mrs. Clinton. You're up there with John the beloved, Peter and James; even Jesus, but that would piss off all those ***** who think they speak for the him. Hell, if they're talking about canonizing the late Nyerere of Tanzania, your name should be on the list. In any event, YOU GO GIRL!!
This is what we get?!? Some lame attempt of fixing the rest of the world when I get undermined and fired from a job I was discriminated against in a month ago? Let alone my inability to get health insurance from my partner or my inability to enter the armed services as I wanted to do several years ago! Thanks for nothing! Fix our country as an example so we don't look like such hypocrites!
What a breath of fresh air.
It's not about persecuting Gays and Lesbians. This is about protecting people's rights. For many, it's about protecting the sanctity of The Word of God. Are you going to fight for the rights of people who have sex with animals? How far is it going to be allowed to go?
I am saddened to hear about Ms. Clinton's pledge to fight for gay rights worldwide. We Christians certainly do not condone violence against gays (or against anyone else for that matter). But discrimination against gays is proper. Gay marriage is an abomination to our GOD, but GOD loves and approves of heterosexual marriages.
In taking the side of the gays, Ms. Clinton is befriending the gays and opposing the GOD of Israel, the Holy Bible, and the Christian Church. James the Apostle has written:
"Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of GOD." James 4:4b.
I would hate to be Hillary Clinton on Judgment Day!
Ahmmm, Hillary, how about giving gay people equal rights in YOUR OWN country first?
"Sex-change you can believe in!" Si Se Puede!
Hope you don't get stoned by the Inquisition and the Flat Earth Society. Both are alive and well. They just go by different names these days. But you are doing the right thing. No thinking person can help but support you in your efforts. Good luck.
As a Christian my God has demanded I be kind to others, and love others. And I will do that...and have done that. But , a line is drawn on the sacredness of marriage..which God ordained from the heavens as between a 'man and a woman' created by 'his' design. This is not just two bodies marrying, but as promised from ages past and ordained in heaven as the two 'becoming one' in spirit. It's not just a paper act (legal marriage) but a spiritual marriage.
I'm a Demacrat and I have followed hillery for years, but I honestly beleave that on t he matter of gays, she is dead wrong. Being a Christian and belie.ve in the bible, God made it very clear that homosexuals, both men and women were an Obomanation
hmmm, I lost a lot respect for her during the primaries but she's showing a damn site more guts on this issue than the current President. Me thinks I've been too harsh on HRC.
your boss, Pres. Obama, says marriage is ONLY between a man and a woman. Are you going to go up against Obama? Can't wait to see this.
Thank you Madam Secretary. The winds are blowing. It's time!
Amen! That's all.
What is to be gained by her fighting for gay rights? She is doing this strictly for the gay vote. She knows that the gay community is not one that everyone will associate with. The gay practices are appalling.
I suppose that any politician that will be seeking office has to have that vote to get elected. Personally I would rather lose an election than support a practice that is so nasty and disgusting.
I will not mistreat any gay person but I surely will not back down on my stance just to get their respect.
It is about time that the US recognizes human rights within its own borders according to its own Constitution. For those who never thought about it; homosexuality has been around since the beginning of mankind, it's nothing new. Sexuality is not and should not be a "State" issue. Choice, privacy,and identity of sexuality should be an unalienable right to all humans. I thought the witch burnings were over, but the US still has a long way to go.
Once in power, the real agenda comes out.
Good for Hilary Clinton.
I'm glad somebody in this administration is listening!
If god wanted men to be with men. He would not have made woman.
Gay rights is obviously a personal issue for Hillary.
The freakshow never ends with these wierdos.
Well, at least we've got our priorities in order. Nukes in Korea and Iran? Hmm. We might want to talk about that. GLBTs not being treated right in outer Mongolia – now THAT's SERIOUS!!!!!!
I love all people,however i believe we the people shoud set aside a month to teach how to love all people
Obama will travel to Egypt and give a speech to the Muslim world. Hillary should accompany him and tell the muslim world that their horrific treatment against women is a violation of human rights, an affront to human decency and must end.
Whenever a Government allows Individuals to commit a sin then this becomes a Social sin and we all are responsible for it. Oh Blind people of Sodoma !