Hillary Clinton’s Gay Rights Evolution

[theHandpuppet]

The New York Times
Hillary Clinton’s Gay Rights Evolution
By AMY CHOZICKAUG. 29, 2014

(excerpt)
It’s a sentiment often expressed as gay voters mull what Mrs. Clinton’s potential 2016 presidential campaign would mean for gay rights. In her four years at the State Department, she prioritized international gay rights, including a 2011 speech in Geneva in which she urged countries to accept gays and lesbians. In the year and a half since she left her post, she has made gay rights a focus. Last fall she accepted an award at the Elton John AIDS Foundation gala in New York; the singer praised Mrs. Clinton’s efforts for human rights.

In June, at the Aspen Ideas Festival, Mrs. Clinton denounced Russia’s treatment of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgender people. In March 2013, she released a video endorsing same-sex marriage both “personally and as a matter of policy and law.”

The efforts have endeared Mrs. Clinton to many gays and lesbians who are raising money toward her potential run. But others look back on the policies of the Clinton Administration and question why it took Mrs. Clinton so long to get on board.

Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and the Defense of Marriage Act, the 1996 measure President Clinton signed into law that barred federal recognition of same-sex marriages, are widely viewed as among the most significant setbacks the gay rights movement has encountered.... MORE at http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/31/fashion/hillary-clinton-gay-rights-evolution.html?_r=0

[William769]

1. She's got my vote!

"Gay rights are human rights". That was all I needed to hear from her.

[Fearless]

2. People shouldn't need to "evolve"

They should believe it regardless of the polling numbers.

[theHandpuppet]

3. Well, to be honest...

I can't think of too many politicians of her generation (and even younger) whose stance on gay rights hasn't evolved over time.

[Fearless]

11. That says more about politicians than people of her generation.

[dbackjon]

4. I take issue with the following:

Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and the Defense of Marriage Act, the 1996 measure President Clinton signed into law that barred federal recognition of same-sex marriages, are widely viewed as among the most significant setbacks the gay rights movement has encountered....



DaDT was actually a step forward - prior to that, recruits were questioned as to whether or not they were gay. DADT opened some doors, and allowed many gays to serve far more openly than in the past. It was far from perfect, but allowed the military to ease into acceptance.


As for DOMA - it headed off a Constitutional Amendment against gay marriage - allowing gains to happen at the state level. It was clearly unconstitutional, but we needed to build support and have individual states allow it.

[closeupready]

5. Disagree with you on both points, my friend.

Particularly the second one about DOMA - there was NEVER any danger that a Constitutional Amendment against gay marriage would happen. That is sheer Clintonian machine revisionist history. (I don't blame you for being bamboozled into subscribing to that romantic spin - lots of Democrats - esp. younger ones - also have been hoodwinked.)

DOMA didn't ever have to happen, at least not with Bill Clinton's signature - but it did indeed; he actually blessed it.

[dbackjon]

6. I am not young, BTW

So DADT wasn't a step forward?


I think you are the one doing the revisionist history - there WAS a real possibility of a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage nationwide.

[closeupready]

7. Clinton's support for his initial run included gay people

who were promised, in return, work towards ending discrimination against them in the military. When Republicans predictably resisted, Clinton buckled.

On DOMA, you're going to have to bring the goods in support of that claim, because as someone who's been active in politics since the 80's, the FIRST TIME I ever heard that nonsense was about 2006 or so, when (coincidentally... lol) Hillary was thinking of throwing her hat into the presidential ring.

[dbackjon]

8. I ahve been around as well

And not sure where you live but there was definitely a lot of talk about it in Arizona and in the South before DOMA was passed.

[theHandpuppet]

9. I truly don't feel qualified to comment on the political machinations behind DOMA

I did do a bit of searching and found what was an interesting article on the subject, one that was written last summer:

http://mic.com/articles/50573/history-of-doma-don-t-blame-bill-clinton-for-being-put-in-a-bind

[closeupready]

10. Great presidents lead courageously, lesser ones pander.

And though Clinton was a much better president than most other postwar presidents, I'd never consider him even a candidate for greatness; certainly not if I was considering his record through the prism of my status as a gay American.

[theHandpuppet]

12. Yep, although I'm not going to lay Bill's shortcomings at Hillary's feet

She is her own person and has been a staunch supporter of women's rights and an ally of the LGBT community.

[closeupready]

13. Me either - however, let's see how/if she attempts to capitalize on

Bill's record in other areas. (Granted, most people aren't gay and won't care much what Bill did or didn't do with regard to gay people; even many gay people feel that way, so I recognize I'm pretty much in a minority.)

Cheers.