The inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th president of the United States filled millions of people with a sense of pride, spanning across racial, economic, and religious lines. Obama, the first African American man elected to our country's highest office, noted the historic occasion in his inaugural address, mentioning the civil war and segregation that once roiled America.
Obama did not explicitly mention gays in his address, but he has uttered the word frequently throughout his campaign, and also did so during pre-inaugural festivities last weekend. More importantly, in his speech Tuesday, he declared that we are all equal.
"The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness," Obama said.
Now, the real work of governing begins, not only for the new president, but for the LGBT community as well.
After eight years of gay-baiting, heated rhetoric, and failed laws such as the federal Defense of Marriage Act and the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," there are many policies that the LGBT community would like to see reversed. There is also legislation that we would like to see enacted, such as an inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act. We realize it probably will be months before a major LGBT issue is addressed so we must start engaging this new administration now.
That is why it is critical that the community continue its activism on these major issues, and continue reaching out to Congress. It's time to adopt an offensive position rather than the defensive one from which we have been operating for years. Obama can use the presidential bully pulpit to speak out in support of gay rights, but it's Congress that ultimately must approve legislation to make the changes real. Unlike his predecessor, Obama would likely sign those bills into law, but they must first reach his desk.
Having out gays and lesbians in the administration will be crucial to our success. And while there is no out cabinet secretary now, a number of gays are expected to fill key administration posts, where they will help frame the issues and move the debate forward. The new White House Web site already has a list of commitments to LGBT rights. We need to make sure that the new administration lives up to those goals. Now the hard work begins.