Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month 2013

June is Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month, as proclaimed by President Obama.  In his proclamation, the President discussed recent progress toward LGBT equality, including the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," and the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, that includes the prohibition of discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity in the implementation of any VAWA-funded programs. Looking to the future, President Obama declared his support for a "fully-inclusive" Employment Non-Discrimination Act and a Respect for Marriage Act.

To acknowledge and celebrate LGBT Pride month, the McKusick Law Library has displayed several LGBT legal guides, including Out Law: What LGBT Youth Should Know About Their Legal Rights, by Lisa Keen, and A Legal Guide for Lesbian and Gay Couples by Dennis Clifford, Frederick Hertz and Emily Doskow.  The display also contains Gay Rights and American Law by Daniel Pinello concerning appellate court decisions dealing with lesbian and gay civil rights, and Same-Sex Marriage: The Cultural Politics of Love, focusing specifically on the right to marry. 

For more information about LGBT advocacy and history, visit these online resources:
-It Gets Better Project (to inspire LGBT youth around the world that it does get better, and to create and inspire changes that will make it better)
-American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Lesbian, Gay Bisexual and Transgender Project
-Library of Congress - Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month 2013 (resources and profiles)

(This entry was originally written and posted by Marsha Stacey)