President Obama's IDAHOT 2015 Statement

Today I's the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, know as the IDAHOT for short.   It was created in 2004 to draw the attention of policymakers, opinion leaders, social justice movements, the media and the public to the violence and discrimination faced internationally by trans, bi, intersex and SGL people.

President Obama is marking this international human rights day with this statement

Michelle and I join our fellow Americans and others around the world in commemorating the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia tomorrow, May 17.  We take this opportunity to reaffirm that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights are human rights, to celebrate the dignity of every person, and to underscore that all people deserve to live free from fear, violence, and discrimination, regardless of who they are or whom they love.

We work toward this goal every day. Here at home, we are working to end bias-motivated violence, combat discrimination in the workplace, and address the specific needs of transgender persons.  Overseas, I am proud of the steps that the United States has taken to prioritize the protection and promotion of LGBT rights in our diplomacy and global outreach.

There is much more to do, and this fight for equality will not be won in a day.  But we will keep working, at home and abroad, and we will keep fighting, for however long it takes until we are all able to live free and equal in dignity and rights.

Hope that day day happens within my lifetime.