Barack Obama

====LGBT rights====
On October 8, 2009, Obama signed the [[Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act]], a measure that expanded the [[Hate crime laws in the United States#Federal|1969 United States federal hate-crime law]] to include crimes motivated by a victim's actual or perceived gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/10/28/hate.crimes/ |title=Obama signs hate crimes bill into law |work=CNN |date=October 28, 2009 |access-date=October 12, 2011 |archive-date=November 12, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112004850/http://edition.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/10/28/hate.crimes/ |url-status=live }}</ref> On October 30, 2009, Obama lifted the ban on travel to the United States by those infected with HIV. The lifting of the ban was celebrated by [[Immigration Equality]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Preston |first=Julia |date=October 30, 2009 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/31/us/politics/31travel.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100407213122/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/31/us/politics/31travel.html |archive-date=April 7, 2010 |url-access=limited |url-status=live |title=Obama Lifts a Ban on Entry Into U.S. by H.I.V.-Positive People |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=February 8, 2017 }}</ref> On December 22, 2010, Obama signed the [[Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010]], which fulfilled a promise made in the 2008 presidential campaign<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/dec/22/obama-repeals-dont-ask-dont-tell |title = 'Don't ask, don't tell' repealed as Obama signs landmark law |work = The Guardian |location = London |date = December 22, 2010 |access-date = June 2, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101223060037/http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/dec/22/obama-repeals-dont-ask-dont-tell |archive-date = December 23, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=Sheryl Gay Stolberg|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/23/us/politics/23military.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110512170430/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/23/us/politics/23military.html |archive-date=May 12, 2011 |url-access=limited |url-status=live|title=Obama Signs Away 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'|date=December 23, 2010|newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref> to end the [[don't ask, don't tell]] policy of 1993 that had prevented gay and lesbian people from serving openly in the [[United States Armed Forces]]. In 2016, the Pentagon ended the policy that barred [[Transgender personnel in the United States military|transgender people from serving openly in the military]].<ref name=TransBan1>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jun/30/us-military-ends-ban-transgender-service-members |first1=Molly |last1=Redden |first2=Amanda |last2=Holpuch |title=US military ends ban on transgender service members |work=The Guardian |date=June 30, 2016 |access-date=February 19, 2017 |archive-date=February 19, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170219181650/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jun/30/us-military-ends-ban-transgender-service-members |url-status=live }}</ref>

===== Same-sex marriage =====
As a candidate for the Illinois state senate in 1996, Obama stated he favored legalizing [[Same-sex marriage in the United States|same-sex marriage]].<ref name="WCT0114">{{cite news |last = Baim |first = Tracy |title = Windy City Times exclusive: Obama's Marriage Views Changed. WCT Examines His Step Back |url = http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/lgbt/Windy-City-Times-exclusive-Obamas-Marriage-Views-Changed-WCT-Examines-His-Step-Back/20524.html |access-date = May 10, 2012 |newspaper = [[Windy City Times]] |date = January 14, 2009 |archive-date = November 14, 2012 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121114030720/http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/lgbt/Windy-City-Times-exclusive-Obamas-Marriage-Views-Changed-WCT-Examines-His-Step-Back/20524.html |url-status = live }}</ref> During his Senate run in 2004, he said he supported civil unions and domestic partnerships for same-sex partners but opposed same-sex marriages.<ref name="WCT0204">{{cite news |last = Baim |first = Tracy |title = Obama Seeks U.S. Senate seat |url = http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=3931 |access-date = May 10, 2012 |newspaper = [[Windy City Times]] |date = February 4, 2004 |archive-date = May 14, 2012 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120514034445/http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=3931 |url-status = live }}</ref> In 2008, he reaffirmed this position by stating "I believe marriage is between a man and a woman. I am not in favor of gay marriage."<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2012/may/11/barack-obama/president-barack-obamas-shift-gay-marriage/|title=President Barack Obama's shifting stance on gay marriage|work=PolitiFact|access-date=November 28, 2018|archive-date=November 26, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181126060141/https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2012/may/11/barack-obama/president-barack-obamas-shift-gay-marriage/|url-status=live}}</ref> On May 9, 2012, shortly after the official launch of his campaign for re-election as president, Obama said his views had evolved, and he publicly affirmed his personal support for the legalization of same-sex marriage, becoming the first sitting U.S. president to do so.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/obama-backs-same-sex-marriage/ |first=Corbett |last=Daly |title=Obama backs same-sex marriage |work=[[CBS News]] |date=May 9, 2012 |access-date=May 9, 2012 |archive-date=December 19, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131219204646/http://www.cbsnews.com/news/obama-backs-same-sex-marriage/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="The Huffington Post">{{cite news |url = https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/09/obama-gay-marriage_n_1503245.html |title = Obama Backs Gay Marriage |last = Stein |first = Sam |date = May 9, 2012 |work = The Huffington Post |access-date = July 5, 2015 |archive-date = June 29, 2015 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150629071547/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/09/obama-gay-marriage_n_1503245.html |url-status = live }}</ref> During his second [[Second inauguration of Barack Obama|inaugural address]] on January 21, 2013,<ref name="NYT20130121" /> Obama became the first U.S. president in office to call for full equality for gay Americans, and the first to mention [[LGBT rights in the United States|gay rights]] or the word "gay" in an inaugural address.<ref>{{cite news |last = Robillard |first = Kevin |title = First inaugural use of the word 'gay' |url = https://www.politico.com/story/2013/01/first-inaugural-use-of-the-word-gay-086499 |access-date = January 21, 2013 |work = Politico |date = January 21, 2013 |archive-date = July 23, 2015 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150723110125/http://www.politico.com/story/2013/01/first-inaugural-use-of-the-word-gay-86499.html |url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title = Obama Inauguration Speech Makes History With Mention of Gay Rights Struggle, Stonewall Uprising |url = https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/21/obama-inauguration-speech-stonewall-gays_n_2520962.html |work = The Huffington Post |access-date = January 21, 2013 |first = Noah |last = Michelson |date = January 21, 2013 |archive-date = September 19, 2018 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180919184320/https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/21/obama-inauguration-speech-stonewall-gays_n_2520962.html |url-status = live }}</ref> In 2013, the Obama administration filed briefs that urged the [[Supreme Court of the United States|Supreme Court]] to rule in favor of same-sex couples in the cases of ''[[Hollingsworth v. Perry]]'' (regarding same-sex marriage)<ref name="huffpo-amicus">{{cite news |url = https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/28/obama-gay-marriage_n_2783912.html |title = Obama Administration: Gay Marriage Ban Unconstitutional In Prop. 8 Supreme Court Case |last = Reilly |first = Ryan J. |date = February 28, 2013 |work = [[The Huffington Post]] |access-date = April 21, 2013 |archive-date = April 11, 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130411220023/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/28/obama-gay-marriage_n_2783912.html |url-status = live }}</ref> and ''[[United States v. Windsor]]'' (regarding the [[Defense of Marriage Act]]).<ref name="cnn-amicus">{{cite news |url = https://edition.cnn.com/2013/02/22/politics/supreme-court-marriage |title = Obama administration weighs in on defense of marriage law |last = Mears |first = Bill |date = February 27, 2013 |publisher = CNN |access-date = April 21, 2013 |archive-date = September 1, 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130901110517/http://edition.cnn.com/2013/02/22/politics/supreme-court-marriage |url-status = live }}</ref>