Reaction Obama administration for signing U.N. declaration on ‘Human Rights, Sexual Orientation, and Gender Identity

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Observer Update) - Today the Obama administration endorsed the U.N. declaration calling for the decriminalization of homosexuality and condemning human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity. What follows is reaction to this from LGBT rights groups.

Statement by Rea Carey, Executive Director National Gay and Lesbian Task Force - “We applaud the Obama administration for endorsing the U.N. declaration calling for the decriminalization of homosexuality and condemning human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity. People should not be persecuted and targeted as criminals based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. The U.S. has finally stepped up to help right this wrong. This is long past overdue and we are encouraged by the signal it sends that the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people will now be considered human rights.”

“This is a welcome step forward as it signals to the world that, after years of a hostile administration, the United States recognizes the humanity of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people at home and abroad,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. “We applaud the Obama administration for joining the other 66 member nations that have officially recognized that basic human rights include the equality of LGBT people.”

“The United States supports the U.N.'s statement on human rights, sexual orientation and gender identity and is pleased to join the other 66 U.N. member states who have declared their support of the statement,” the State Department said in a statement released today. “The United States is an outspoken defender of human rights and critic of human rights abuses around the world. As such, we join with other supporters of this statement, and we will continue to remind countries of the importance of respecting the human rights of all people in all appropriate international fora.”