Comments on: This Is What I Call Progress

By: Spark

Spark — Tue, 26 May 2009 01:34:45 +0000

@PhDork: If you see Obama putting women and the LBQT community at the back of the bus, then you’re more optimistic than me. I worry more about being thrown under the bus. But I look forward to be proven wrong in June and beyond.

The idea that a US gov employee could be evacuated while their same-sex partner is left behind… that’s terrifying. And a major impediment to keeping high-quality employees who are also gay.

By: ceejeemcbeegee

ceejeemcbeegee — Tue, 26 May 2009 01:07:57 +0000

I know people think things are moving fast enough, but TRUST, it WILL happen!

And that’s all I can say about that.

By: Cheryl Trooskin-Zoller

Cheryl Trooskin-Zoller — Mon, 25 May 2009 20:46:05 +0000

YAY!

This was a significant item on my wish-list for Clinton’s tenure as secretary of state.

People kept telling me it would never happen because DOMA forbids the federal government from spending money on queers as if we were entitled to human rights. Er, I mean, that the federal government is forbidden to treat same-sex relationships as marriages. So, I have some fear about that, and am going to be tense until I hear an actual date for the policy to come into effect.

But, YAY! Michael Guest (mentioned at the end of that NYT article) was on the cover of the Advocate a bit over a year ago and this problem has been itching at me ever since. So I’m quite delighted to see this getting addressed.

By: PhDork

PhDork — Mon, 25 May 2009 15:34:51 +0000

I’m not queer, and I’ve been bothered by O’s silence, even as I realize that financial meltdown and war and such are important, too. It just feels like “homos to the back of the bus!” I am thrilled that Hills is pushing for equal rights for foreign service officers, and I hope that it sets a sort of precedent for NGOs and corporations who haven’t already extended such rights, as well as making the argument (on the federal and state level) that marriage equality is about protection and benefits for families, not about who/how people fuck.

By: baraqiel

baraqiel — Mon, 25 May 2009 01:30:37 +0000

This makes me very hopeful, given that I’ve also heard recently that the Obama administration is planning on making several big GLBT-rights announcements during June, around the time that Pride events happen. From what I read, the queer community has felt somewhat betrayed by Obama’s silence and lack of action on DADT and marriage equality — I hope this is a sign that the administration as a whole is moving in a more positive direction.