Barack Obama’s Radical LGBT Legacy – An Immoral ‘Transformation’ of America

Anti-Christian lobby group HRC tallies Obama’s long list of pro-homosexual and pro-transgender “accomplishments”

Two More Dubious Obama LGBT “Firsts”: Obviously, Barack Obama is the first U.S. President to turn the White House–the American people’s house–into a symbol of homosexual-bisexual-transgender activism. (The rainbow has been appropriated by LGBTQ activists as the symbol of their de facto sin movement.) Obama is also the first president to sit for a photo-shoot for a homosexualist magazine, OUT Magazine, in its December 2015 issue.

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Summary of President Obama’s Commitment to LGBT Equality [the homosexual-bisexual-transgender agenda]

Note to AFTAH readers: the following is a list of President Barack Obama’s homosexual-bisexual-transgender agenda “achievements,” produced by Human Rights Campaign, the world’s most powerful and well-funded LGBT lobby organization. [See the original HRC report on PDF HERE.] Even close followers of Obama’s socially left agenda will be surprised by the magnitude of his LGBT record. We have bolded some of the more important Obama actions–note especially #28 and #33 in which Obama undermined the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), thus accelerating the legal momentum for legalized same-sex “marriage.”

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HRC reports:

“Summary of President Obama’s Commitment to LGBT Equality”

LGBT-inclusive Legislation Signed Into Law (3):

1. Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act – Signed October 28, 2009.
2. Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Repeal Act of 2010 – Signed December 22, 2010
3. Violence Against Women Act – Reauthorization signed March 7, 2013

Openly- LGBT Federal Judicial Appointees (15):

1. Todd Hughes Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
2. Nitza Quiñones Alejandro Judge, District Court for the Eastern District of PA
3. Pamela Ki Mai Chen Judge, District Court for the Eastern District of NY
4. Michael Fitzgerald Judge, District Court for the Central District of CA
5. Darrin Gayles Judge, District Court for the Southern District of FL
6. Judith Levy Judge, District Court for the Eastern District of MI
7. Michael McShane Judge, District Court for the District of OR
8. Alison Nathan Judge, District Court for the Southern District of NY
9. Paul Oetken Judge, District Court for the Southern District of NY
10. Staci Michelle Yandle Judge, District Court for the Southern District of IL
11. Emily C. Hewitt Chief Justice, United States Court of Federal Claims
12. Elaine Kaplan Judge, United States Court of Federal Claims
13. Joseph H. Gale Judge, United States Tax Court
14. Albert Lauber Judge, United States Tax Court
15. Robert Pitman Judge, District Court for the Western District of TX

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Openly LGBT Federal Ambassadorial Appointees (7):

1. Daniel Brooks Baer, U.S. Representative to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Served 9/10/2013 to present.
2. John Berry, Ambassador to Australia, Served 9/9/2013 to present
3. James “Wally” Brewster, Jr., Ambassador to the Dominican Republic, Served 11/22/2013 to present.
4. James Costos, Ambassador to Spain and Andorra, Served 8/22/2013 to present.
5. Rufus Gifford, Ambassador to Denmark, Served 8/15/2013 to present.
6. David Huebner, Ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa, Served 12/4/2009 to 1/17/2014.
7. Ted Osius, Ambassador to Vietnam, Served 12/10/2014 to present.

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Policy / Regulation Changes (111):

1. In March 2009, the Obama Administration added the United States to a UN General Assembly resolution calling for an end to criminal penalties based on sexual orientation or gender identity, a measure that former President Bush had refused to sign.
2. In April 2009, the President announced a new, five-year outreach and prevention project called Act Against AIDS, which targets populations most at risk.
3. In June 2009, President Obama issued LGBT Pride Month proclamations, the first since 2000, and held the first-ever Pride events at the White House.
4. In June 2009, President Obama issued a Presidential Memo directing federal agencies to extend whatever benefits they could, under existing authority, to the same-sex partners of federal employees.
5. In June 2009, the State Department reversed a Bush Administration policy that refused to use a same-sex “marriage” license as evidence of a name change for passports.
6. In June 2009, the State Department extended numerous benefits to the partners of Foreign Service officers, including diplomatic passports, access to overseas medical and training facilities, inclusion in housing allocations, and access to emergency evacuation.
7. In July 2009, Administration officials testified in support of the Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act, which would extend spousal benefits to the partners of federal workers, including health insurance and insurance benefits.
8. In September 2009, an Administration official testified in support of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act in the U.S. House of Representatives.
9. In October 2009, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) adopted a regulation ending the ban on HIV-positive visitors and immigrants.
10. In November 2009, an Administration official testified in support of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act in the U.S. Senate.
11. In January 2010, the Office of Personnel Management added gender identity to the equal employment opportunity policy governing all federal jobs.
12. In February 2010, the Department of Health and Human Services awarded $900k grant for the creation of a national resource center on LGBT aging issues to Services & Advocacy for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender Elders (SAGE).
13. In March 2010, the Census Bureau overturned the Bush Administration’s overbroad interpretation of the Defense of Marriage Act and agreed to release data on married same-sex couples along with other demographic info from the 2010 Census.
14. In March 2010, the IRS clarified that domestic partners (and their children) can be designated beneficiaries for VEBA funding/payment purposes.
15. In June 2010, President Obama published a Presidential memo directing the extension of additional benefits to the partners of federal workers, including travel and relocation assistance, child care subsidies and certain retirement benefits.
16. In June 2010, the Office of Personnel Management published a final rule allowing same-sex domestic partners of federal employees to apply for long term care insurance, and to take funeral and sick leave to care for a domestic partner.
17. In June 2010, the Department of Justice issued an opinion clarifying that the criminal provision of the Violence Against Women Act related to stalking and abuse apply equally to same-sex partners.
18. In June 2010, the Department of State revised the standards for changing a gender marker on a passport, making the process less burdensome for transgender people.
19. In June 2010, The Department of Labor issued guidance clarifying that an employee can take time off under the FMLA to care for a same-sex partner’s child, even where the partner does not have a legal or biological relationship to that child.
20. In June 2010, President Obama issued a second memo directing federal agencies to extend whatever benefits they could, under existing authority, to the same-sex partners of federal employees.
21. In July 2010, the Department of Health and Human Services revised its funding guidance around abstinence-only-until-marriage sex education programs, requiring that recipient programs are inclusive of and non-stigmatizing toward LGBT youth, and mandating that they include only medically-accurate information.
22. In July 2010, the President launched a National AIDS Strategy with key goals to lower the number of new HIV infections, increase the number of people receiving care, and reducing racial disparities.
23. In October 2010, the Department of Health and Human Services awarded a $13.3 million grant to the LA Gay and Lesbian Center to create a model program supporting LGBT and questioning youth in the foster care system.
24. In October 2010, the White House held a summit on school bullying and formed an interagency working group to look at ways to address this pervasive problem, including in regards to LGBT youth.
25. In January 2011, the Justice Department proposed regulations to implement standards proposed by the federal Prison Rape Elimination Commission to reduce sexual abuse in correctional facilities, including standards regarding LGBT and intersex inmates.
26. In January 2011, the Department of Health and Human Services regulations requiring all hospitals receiving Medicaid and Medicare to prohibit discrimination in visitation against LGBT people went into effect.
27. In February 2011, the Department of Health and Human Services rescinded provisions of a Bush-era rule which allowed health care providers to refuse to provide any health care service or information for a religious or moral reason.
28. In February 2011, The Department of Justice announced that it would stop defending lawsuits brought against Section 3 of DOMA because the President and Attorney General believed the provision was unconstitutional.
29. In March 2011, at the request of the Department of Health and Human Services, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) issued a lengthy report detailing the range of areas in which more research is needed on LGBT health needs.
30. In March 2011, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) sent a number of recommendations to the White House for policy and regulatory changes that HHS could undertake to improve the health of LGBT people, including: collection of LGBT health data.
31. Guidance for states on including LGBT families in federal welfare programs, and
32. Guidance for states on protecting the financial resources of a same-sex partner when his or her partner enters long-term care under Medicaid.
33. In June 2011, the Department of Justice filed its first brief implementing its decision to stop defending lawsuits brought against Section 3 of DOMA in federal court, acknowledging the federal government’s role in discrimination against gays and lesbians.
34. In June 2011, the Department of Veterans Affairs published a directive establishing a policy of respectful delivery of healthcare to transgender and intersex veterans in all VA healthcare facilities.
35. In June 2011, the Department of Health and Human Services’ Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued guidance clarifying that state Medicaid agencies have the authority to provide same-sex couples with equal access to the financial and asset protections available to opposite-sex couples when a partner enters a nursing home or care facility.
36. In June 2011, the Department of Education held the first-ever LGBT Youth Summit. At that event, Secretary Duncan announced guidance to schools nationwide making clear that right of gay-straight alliances (GSAs) to form and meet in public schools is protected under federal law.
37. In June 2011, the Department of Health and Human Services awarded a grant to Heartland Alliance in Chicago to create the first-ever resource center for LGBT refugees being resettled in the United States.
38. In June 2011, the Department of Health and Human Services publicly committed to collecting data on sexual orientation and gender identity in federal health surveys and laid out a timeline for identifying the best ways to collect quality data on LGBT people and including the appropriate questions in surveys.
39. In June 2011, the Administration supported a first-ever UN Human Rights Council resolution condemning violence and discrimination against LGBT people.
40. In September 2011, the Social Security Administration announced that it would no longer issue “gender no-match” letters to employers during the clearance process for potential employees. This change protects transgender applicants from being unnecessarily outed to potential employers by the SSA.
41. In September 2011, the Office of Personnel Management issued additional guidance to federal managers regarding the equal treatment of transgender workers.
42. In October 2011, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) adopted a policy “strongly encouraging” companies contracting with the agency to have nondiscrimination policies protecting LGBT employees and other workers in place.
43. In November 2011, the Internal Revenue Service formally announced that medically necessary treatments related to gender transition are deductible for income tax purposes.
44. In December 2011, President Obama issued a memorandum creating a strategy for U.S. government agencies to combat LGBT human rights abuses internationally.
45. In December 2011, then-Secretary of State Hilary Clinton made an historic speech on LGBT human rights in Geneva.
46. In January 2012, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) issued regulations recognizing LGBT families for federal housing programs, …
47. Prohibiting discrimination against LGBT people in accessing federally-insured mortgage loans, and …
48. Requiring HUD grantees to abide by LGBT-inclusive state and local antidiscrimination laws.
49. HUD also announced it would conduct the first-ever nationwide study of LGBT housing discrimination.
50. In March 2012, U.S. Customs and Border Protection published a proposed rule that will expand the definition of family to include domestic partners for the purposes of processing the family when re-entering the U.S. from abroad.
51. In April 2012, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services announced that the U.S. will recognize marriages for immigration purposes regardless of a subsequent gender transition.
52. In April 2012, the EEOC published its decision in Macy v. Holder which found that gender identity discrimination in employment is a form of sex discrimination and prohibited under Title VII.
53. In May 2012, the Department of Justice published final regulations creating national standards aimed at eliminating sexual abuse in America’s prisons, jails, and local detention facilities as mandated by the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA). These standards directly address the needs of LGBTI and gender nonconforming prisoners.
54. In June 2012, the Internal Revenue Service published guidance specifically addressing the unique filing issues faced by same-sex couples, and clarified that eligibility for the adoption tax credit.
55. In July 2012, the Administration on Aging published clarifying guidance that LGBT older adults should be included as a population with a “greatest social need” for purposes of Older American Act programs and funding.
56. In July 2012, the Office of Personnel Management published a final rule extending the presumption of insurable interest annuity to families of same-sex federal employees.
57. In August 2012, the Federal Aviation Administration released new certification procedures eliminating burdensome, additional psychological testing for transgender pilots.
58. In January 2013, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) released a report responding to the Institute of Medicine’s report concerning the health of LGBT populations in the country. The NIH report specified that the research needs of the LGBT community span a number of institutes, centers, and offices within NIH and shows that NIH understands the breadth of health needs and disparities that impact LGBT people across the lifespan.
59. In February 2013, the Department of Health and Human Services published implementing regulations for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in the context of coverage availability.
60. In June 2013, the Social Security Administration announced a new policy modernizing and standardizing the process for changing the gender designation in Social Security records. This new policy allows transgender people to maintain their privacy and prevents unnecessary outing to Social Security staff and to healthcare providers. Under the revised policy, transgender people are able to change their gender on their Social Security records by submitting either government-issued documentation that reflects a change, or certification from a physician that confirms that they have received clinical treatment for gender transition.
61. In June 2013, the Office of Personnel Management published guidance on the extension of benefits to same-sex spouses allowing all legally married same-sex spouses of federal employees to apply for health insurance, life insurance, dental and vision insurance, long-term care insurance, retirement, and flexible spending accounts.
62. In July 2013, the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services published guidance that all immigration visa petitions filed on behalf of a same-sex spouse will now be reviewed in the same manner as those filed on behalf of an opposite-sex spouse.
63. In July 2013, the Department of Education and the Department of Justice resolved a discrimination claim filed by the National Center for Lesbian Rights on behalf of a transgender student in California who had been excluded from rooming with male peers on an overnight field trip and barred from using male restrooms. The government reached an agreement with the school district that it will treat the transgender student as male and revise its policies to ensure that all students are free from discrimination based on sex stereotypes as well as provide training to personnel and students.
64. In August 2013, the Department of Defense announced that it would extend all spousal benefits to same-sex spouses of service members regardless of where the couple was married or where they currently live.
65. The Department of Defense will provide additional leave days for those service members who wish to get married and need to travel to another state in order to do so.
66. In August 2013, the Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service issued a ruling that all lawfully-married same-sex couples, regardless of where they live, will be recognized for federal tax purposes.
67. In August 2013, the Department of Health and Human Services issued guidance to Medicare providers directing them to allow beneficiaries to access skilled nursing care in the same facility as a same-sex spouse, regardless of where the couple lives.
68. In June and August 2013, the Social Security Administration issued guidance on the implementation of the Windsor decision. The Social Security Administration will process the claims of same-sex spouses domiciled in states that recognize same-sex marriage. For married same-sex spouses who are domiciled in states that do not recognize same-sex marriage, the Social Security Administration has stated that they will hold the claims.
69. In September 2013, the Department of Labor issued guidance clarifying that the terms “spouse” and “marriage” in Title I of ERISA and in related regulations includes same-sex couples legally married in any state, regardless of where the couple currently lives. This guidance ensures that same-sex spouses have access to important protections under employer health insurance, retirement, and pension plans.
70. In September 2013, the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board published an interim rule providing that the board will look at the state of celebration of a marriage to determine the marital status of Thrift Savings Plan participants.
71. In September 2013, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) issued guidance encouraging states to look to the state of celebration when determining marital status for eligibility purposes.
72. CMS also issued guidance clarifying that the premium tax credits designed for the purchase of health coverage through the insurance exchanges are available to married same-sex couples, regardless of where they live.
73. In September 2013, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services published guidance clarifying that state programs are no longer prohibited from recognizing same-sex marriages for purposes of Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
74. In September 2013, the Internal Revenue Service issued guidance to employers and employees addressing the process for amending tax returns to correct overpayments of employment taxes for 2013 and earlier years for certain same-sex spouse benefits and certain remunerations paid to same-sex spouses.
75. In September 2013, the Department of Defense issued guidance extending Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) coverage to same-sex spouses of military members and retirees. The military’s SBP allows retired service members to designate their spouses, and in some instances their minor children, as beneficiaries to their military pension. This allows the spouse or children to continue to receive a portion of the military pension upon the veteran’s death. Military retirees who were married to a same-sex spouse on or before June 26, 2013 may now have spousal coverage under the SBP.
76. In September 2013, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has announced that it will no longer deny marital benefit claims because a “spouse” or a “surviving spouse” is not a person of the opposite sex.
77. Service members may also designate a same-sex spouse as a beneficiary for a number of programs including the Service Members Group Life Insurance (SGLI), the Veterans’ Group Life Insurance (VGLI), the Post Vietnam-era Veterans Assistance Program (VEAP), and the Montgomery GI Bill.
78. The VA also has announced that individuals with a same-sex spouse, living in a state that recognizes same-sex marriage will be considered married for the purposes of the Home Loan Guarantee Program.
79. In November 2013, the Office of Personnel Management published final regulations recognizing the children of federal employees’ same-sex domestic partner as stepchildren for purposes of federal benefits, allowing these children to receive coverage.
80. In January 2014, the S. Customs and Border Patrol announced a proposed regulatory change expanding the meaning of “members of a family residing in one household” for the purposes of the customs declaration form, which must be completed prior to reentry to the United States. The policy change will ensure that children of same-sex parents are recognized as members of the family regardless of adoption status. Also, the proposed change will acknowledge individuals in committed relationships, for example long-time companions, and couples in civil unions or domestic partnerships, within the definition of “family.”
81. In April 2014, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services published guidance providing that Medicare will begin same-sex marriages for determining entitlement to or eligibility for Medicare.
82. In May 2014, the Departmental Appeals Board at the Department of Health and Human Services issued a ruling in an administrative challenge brought by the ACLU, Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, and the National Center for Lesbian Rights determining that Medicare’s policy of categorically excluding coverage of sex-reassignment surgery is unreasonable and contrary to contemporary science and medical standards of care.
83. In May 2014, the Administration on Community Living (ACL) at the Department of Health and Human Services published guidance directing all ACL programs to recognize same-sex spouses who were lawfully married in any state, territory, or foreign jurisdiction as family members regardless of where the couple is currently residing. For purposes of Older Americans Act (OAA) programs, this policy will ensure that same-sex spouses are recognized by the Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities as well as the Administration on Aging. These spouses will now be recognized and have access to critical caregiver support programs and will be recognized as “family” within the definition of the OAA.
84. In June 2014, the Department of Labor published a proposed rule revising the definition of “spouse” for purposes of the FMLA to extend eligibility to all spouses, including same-sex, regardless of where they live.
85. In June 2014, the Office of Personnel Management announced it was removing the exclusion of transition-related health services for Federal Employee Health Benefits plans (FEHB).
86. In July 2014, President Obama signed an executive order protecting the employees of federal contractors from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
87. In July 2014, President Obama signed an executive order protecting federal employees from discrimination on the basis of gender identity.
88. In August 2014, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) published new guidance directly addressing application of the HUD Equal Access Rule to emergency shelter and continuum of care programs, affirming important protections available to same-sex couples and their families seeking emergency shelter and other assistance from programs receiving HUD funds.
89. In August 2014, the Department of Labor issued official guidance and enforcement protocols clarifying the reach of the federal non-discrimination laws enforced by the Department and ensuring full protection for transgender individuals who work for federal contractors and subcontractors covered by these laws.
90. In September 2014, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) filed two historic lawsuits challenging cases of discrimination against two transgender people, which is the first time the EEOC has used the protections of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to bring lawsuits challenging discrimination based upon gender identity.
91. In October 2014, the Department of Education implemented regulations requiring campus crimes based on a person’s gender identity to be compiled and published, in addition to national origin, race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity, and disability.
92. In December 2014, the Department of Education released guidance clarifying that transgender students may enroll in single-sex classes and activities based on their gender identity.
93. In December 2014, the Department of Justice released guidance prohibiting federal law enforcement officers from profiling based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
94. In December 2014, the Department of Justice announced it would no longer assert that gender identity is not covered Title VII’s prohibition on sex discrimination, consistent with the EEOC’s decision in Macy v. Holder.
95. In February 2015, the Department of Labor published revised regulations to ensure that all married same-sex couples could access benefits under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) regardless of state of residence.
96. In February 2015, the State Department appointed a Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBTI Persons with the specific goal to, “reaffirm the universal human rights of all persons, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.”
97. In February 2015, the White House released the 2015 National Security Strategy (NSS) that specifically mentions, for the first time, the need to protect LGBT human rights as an objective of U.S. national security.
98. In February 2015, the S. Agency for International Development (USAID) presented a new toolkit for integrating LGBT rights into the Europe and Eurasia (E&E) region. The goal of this toolkit is to create positive impact in development work, which will align with the Obama administration’s vision to promote LGBT rights as human rights around the world.
99. In May 2015, the FDA published draft guidance revising the deferral on gay and bisexual male blood donors from a lifetime ban to a 12 month deferral period. Although HRC acknowledges that this policy change will allow some gay and bisexual men to become blood donors, it will continue to prevent sexually active gay men and bisexual men having sex with men from donating.
100. In June 2015, the Department of Defense announced that it will extend nondiscrimination protections to LGB troops by updating the Military Equal Opportunity program to include sexual orientation as a protected class.
101. In July 2015, the Department of Defense announced the establishment of a working group to study lifting the ban on transgender military service, allowing transgender service men and women to serve openly.
102. In July 2015, the Department of Justice confirmed that married same-sex couples would receive all federal benefits regardless of state of residence and directed agencies to take steps to implement the landmark Supreme Court decision Obergefell v. Hodges.
103. In July 2015, the EEOC published its decision in Baldwin v. Foxx which found that sexual orientation discrimination in employment is a form of sex discrimination and prohibited under Title VII.
104. In August 2015, the Obama Administration appointed the first openly transgender White House Official, Raffi Freedman-Gurspan.
105. In September 2015, the Obama Administration nominated the first openly gay Secretary of the U.S. Army, Eric Fanning.
106. In September 2015, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights proposed a regulation that provides explicit protections from discrimination on the basis of sex stereotyping and gender identity in healthcare and insurance under the Affordable Care Act.
107. In September 2015, the White House held the first Community Bisexual Policy Briefing.
108. In October 2015, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) published a report calling for an end to dangerous so-called “conversion therapy” for minors.
109. In October 2015, the IRS published proposed regulations clarifying the definitions of “spouse”, “husband”, and “wife” in the tax code to ensure equity for same-sex couples, and clarified that legally married same-sex couples would be recognized by the tax code regardless of their state of residence.
110. In November 2015, the White House announced support for the Equality Act, a bill to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, housing, credit, education, public accommodations, federally funded program, and jury service.
111. In November 2015, the Department of Housing and Urban Development announced new guidance that will help to ensure transgender individuals have equal access to HUD-funded emergency shelters.

LGBT Appointees (overall) (250+):

The HRC report only links to the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund Presidential Appointments website (https://www.victoryfund.org/our-work/presidential-appointments); we have reprinted their list below (note: according to the site, it was last updated June 26, 2013):

LGBT Appointments in the Obama-Biden Administration

To date [June 2013], the Obama-Biden Administration has appointed more than 250 openly LGBT professionals to full-time and advisory positions in the executive branch; more than all known LGBT appointments of other presidential administrations combined.

* Nominated and Senate-confirmed
** Nominated but not Senate-confirmed
*** One-year recess appointment: nominated but not Senate-confirmed

Italics indicate an appointee who has left the administration.

Updated June 26, 2013

* Nominated and Senate-confirmed
** Nominated but not Senate-confirmed
*** One-year recess appointment: nominated but not Senate-confirmed

Italics indicate an appointee who has left the administration.