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Forty years ago this month, the gay rights movement began with the Stonewall
riots in New York City, as gays and lesbians demanded an end to the persecution
they had long endured. Now, after decades of hard work, the fight has grown into
a global movement to achieve a world in which all people live free from violence
and fear, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
In honor of Gay and Lesbian Pride Month and on behalf of the State
Department, I extend our appreciation to the global LGBT community for its
courage and determination during the past 40 years, and I offer our support for
the significant work that still lies ahead.
At the State Department and throughout the Administration, we are
grateful for our lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees in Washington
and around the world. They and their families make many sacrifices to serve our
nation. Their contributions are vital to our efforts to establish stability,
prosperity and peace worldwide.
Human rights are at the heart of those efforts. Gays and lesbians in many
parts of the world live under constant threat of arrest, violence, even torture.
The persecution of gays and lesbians is a violation of human rights and an
affront to human decency, and it must end. 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.
Though the road to full equality for LGBT Americans is long, 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.
This June, let us recommit ourselves to achieving a world in which all
people can live in safety and freedom, no matter who they are or whom they
love.
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
June 1,
2009
