The history of gay and lesbian rights in the United States was the subject of an address given by Joseph Pomper, the U.S. consul general in Monterrey, at the LGBT Business Expo held in Puerto Vallarta last week.
Themes touched on by Pomper in his speech included the 1969 Stonewall riots in Greenwich Village and the importance of Harvey Milk, one of the first openly gay officials in the United States, who was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977.
Pomper also highlighted Eric Fanning, the Under Secretary of the Air Force, who is the highest ranking openly gay member of the Department of Defense, and Jason Collins, the Brooklyn Nets center who was the first active male athlete in a major U.S. professional sport to come out as gay.
Pomper also reminded his audience that President Barack Obama has released a proclamation declaring June as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Pride Month.In a statement made at the beginning of this month, Obama paid tribute to the “patrons of the Stonewall Inn (who) defied an unjust policy and awakened a nascent movement.”
He continued: “Following their example, let each of us speak for tolerance, justice, and dignity – because if hearts and minds continue to change over time, laws will too.”
Obama said his commitment to advancing equality for the LGBT community extends far beyond the borders of the United States. “In many places around the globe, LGBT people face persecution, arrest, or even state-sponsored execution. This is unacceptable. The United States calls on every nation to join us in defending the universal human rights of our LGBT brothers and sisters.”