Wed. January 29, 2014
Washington, D.C. -
In his fifth annual State of the Union address delivered Tuesday, President Barack Obama highlighted his commitment to gay marriage.
Pledging to address inequalities in America, Obama said: "Upward mobility has stalled. The cold, hard fact is that even in the midst of recovery, too many Americans are working more than ever just to get by – let alone get ahead. And too many still aren't working at all. ...But America does not stand still – and neither will I. ...Across the country, we're partnering with mayors, governors and state legislators on issues from homelessness to marriage equality."
Evan Wolfson, founder and president of Freedom to Marry, responded in an emailed statement: "President Obama has had an indelible impact on the lives of gay and lesbian Americans, our families, and the country we love. His moral leadership on the freedom to marry has given permission to millions of Americans – indeed, hundreds of millions worldwide – to open their hearts, think anew, and continue a journey to support for the freedom to marry and ending discrimination against gay people."
"We won't rest until all loving, committed couples can share in the freedom to marry, and aim to see that day before President Obama leaves office," Wolfson added.
The White House expanded on the actions the president plans to take in a State of the Union fact sheet.
Among the items listed is passage in the House of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which would prohibit workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. A bipartisan majority of the Senate approved ENDA last year.
Related: President Barack Obama State of the Union Address
For the complete article (non-reader view with multimedia and original links),
Tap here.
Head to the local LGBTQ news, events, directory and people network at ChicagoPride.com