October 29, 2009
Obama signs first major federal gay rights law
by Margaret Talev
McClatchy Newspapers
WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama signed on Wednesday the first major piece of federal gay rights legislation, a milestone that activists compared to the passage of 1960s civil rights legislation empowering blacks.
The new law adds acts of violence against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people to the list of federal hate crimes.
Congress passed the hate crimes protections as an amendment to this year's Defense Authorization Act. In a signing ceremony in the White House East Room, Obama said the gay rights protections represented a "long-awaited change" that would protect people who are victimized because of "who they love ... or who they are."
Gay rights activists voiced hope that the Obama administration would advance more issues, including legislation to bar workplace discrimination, allow military service and recognize same-sex marriages.
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