Hillary Clinton has come full circle like millions of Americans on the subject of Gay Rights
December 7, 2011
Geneva, Switzerland (CNN) -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton challenged nations around the world to recognize that "gay rights are human rights and human rights are gay rights," building on an order by President Barack Obama directing all U.S. agencies to "promote and protect" the rights of gay people,
In an impassioned defense of such rights, Clinton called the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people "universal" and criticized nations that criminalize gay behavior or tolerate abuse of gay, bisexual or transgendered people
"No practice or tradition trumps the human rights that belong to all of us, and this holds true for inflicting violence on LGBT people," she said. "It is a violation of human rights when people are beaten or killed because of their sexual orientation, or because they do not conform to cultural norms about how men and women should look or behave."
Clinton recognized America's own record on LGBT equality is "far from perfect." She called laws discriminating against gays or tolerating abuse against them a violation of human rights and rejected the notion espoused by some nations that "homosexuality is a Western phenomenon and therefore people from outside the West have grounds to reject it."
"Gay people are born into -- and belong to -- every society in the world. They are all ages, all races, all faiths. They are doctors, and teachers, farmers and bankers, soldiers and athletes," she said. "Being gay is not a Western invention. It is a human reality."
Gay rights groups praised the effort as a significant step toward protecting the rights of gays and lesbians around the world.
I’m sure her parents are humbled by their daughter who is showing great courage and an obligation to speak out for the justice of equal rights for all. If Bill & Hillary were only half so brave and committed.….
December 7, 2011
Geneva, Switzerland (CNN) -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton challenged nations around the world to recognize that "gay rights are human rights and human rights are gay rights," building on an order by President Barack Obama directing all U.S. agencies to "promote and protect" the rights of gay people,
In an impassioned defense of such rights, Clinton called the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people "universal" and criticized nations that criminalize gay behavior or tolerate abuse of gay, bisexual or transgendered people
"No practice or tradition trumps the human rights that belong to all of us, and this holds true for inflicting violence on LGBT people," she said. "It is a violation of human rights when people are beaten or killed because of their sexual orientation, or because they do not conform to cultural norms about how men and women should look or behave."
Clinton recognized America's own record on LGBT equality is "far from perfect." She called laws discriminating against gays or tolerating abuse against them a violation of human rights and rejected the notion espoused by some nations that "homosexuality is a Western phenomenon and therefore people from outside the West have grounds to reject it."
"Gay people are born into -- and belong to -- every society in the world. They are all ages, all races, all faiths. They are doctors, and teachers, farmers and bankers, soldiers and athletes," she said. "Being gay is not a Western invention. It is a human reality."
Gay rights groups praised the effort as a significant step toward protecting the rights of gays and lesbians around the world.