U.S. takes leadership role on global LGBT rights

 

Whoo-hoo! Secretary of State Hillary Clinton delivered a landmark speech to diplomats assembled in Geneva last week calling on world leaders to reject anti-LGBT policies, and positioning the U.S. as a global leader on LGBT equality. 

Clinton said the idea that LGBT rights are a Western phenomenon ill-suited to other cultures was wrong: "[I]n reality, gay people are born into and belong to every society in the world."

A presidential memorandum issued by the White House while Clinton spoke directed federal agencies involved in work abroad to "ensure that U.S. diplomacy and foreign assistance promote and protect the human rights of LGBT persons."