Yesterday, I explored what President Obama has done to make lives better for LGBTQ families. Today, his last day in office, I simply want to highlight a few specific quotes from him and say “Thank you.”
At the White House Pride Reception in 2016:
When you talk to the upcoming generation, our kids—Malia’s, Sasha’s generation—they instinctively know people are people and families are families. And discrimination, it’s so last century. It’s so passé. It doesn’t make sense to them. So we live in an America where the laws are finally catching up to the hearts of kids and what they instinctively understand.
In a 2012 e-mail to supporters:
What I’ve come to realize is that for loving, same-sex couples, the denial of marriage equality means that, in their eyes and the eyes of their children, they are still considered less than full citizens. Even at my own dinner table, when I look at Sasha and Malia, who have friends whose parents are same-sex couples, I know it wouldn’t dawn on them that their friends’ parents should be treated differently. So I decided it was time to affirm my personal belief that same-sex couples should be allowed to marry.
In a response to 10-year-old Sophia Bailey Klugh’s question, “If you were me and had two dads that loved each other, and kids at school teased you about it, what would you do?”
In America, no two families look the same. We celebrate this diversity. And we recognize that whether you have two dads or one mom what matters above all is the love we show one another. You are very fortunate to have two parents who care deeply for you. They are lucky to have such an exceptional daughter in you.
Our differences unite us. You and I are blessed to live in a country where we are born equal no matter what we look like on the outside, where we grow up, or who our parents are. A good rule is to treat others the way you hope they will treat you. Remind your friends at school about this rule if they say something that hurts your feelings.
In a proclamation for National Foster Care Month in 2015:
With so many children waiting for loving homes, it is important to ensure all qualified caregivers have the opportunity to serve as foster or adoptive parents, regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or marital status. That is why we are working to break down the barriers that exist and investing in efforts to recruit more qualified parents for children in foster care.
He noted, too, the children’s side of the equation:
All young people, regardless of what they look like, which religion they follow, who they love, or the gender they identify with, deserve the chance to dream and grow in a loving, permanent home.
In his Mother’s Day proclamation of 2010 (the first time a president has mentioned two-mom families in a Mother’s Day proclamation):
Whether adoptive, biological, or foster, mothers share an unbreakable bond with their children, and Americans of all ages and backgrounds owe them an immeasurable debt. Nurturing families come in many forms, and children may be raised by two parents, a single mother, two mothers, a step-mom, a grandmother, or a guardian. Mother’s Day gives us an opportunity to celebrate these extraordinary caretakers, mentors, and providers who have made us who we are.
Similarly for Father’s Day that same year:
Nurturing families come in many forms, and children may be raised by a father and mother, a single father, two fathers, a step father, a grandfather, or caring guardian.
And for Family Day in 2009:
Whether children are raised by two parents, a single parent, grandparents, a same-sex couple, or a guardian, families encourage us to do our best and enable us to accomplish great things.
Thank you, President Obama, for remembering our families, welcoming us to your celebrations, and working to ensure our equality.