By B&TF

I have to admit, I have never been very involved in politics. I had had enough just hearing about it while growing up in the Communist Russia. However, just a little over four years ago I began watching The L Word and suddenly, I found myself very interested in the politics involving the LGBT community. When President Obama got elected I was very excited. I couldn’t vote yet but I attended a few events, including an Obama rally in Philadelphia last year, where Ilene Chaiken, Jennifer Beals and other cast

members appeared. Along with the cast of The L Word there were a few members of the Democratic Party from Philadelphia, including Tobias Wolff (President Obama’s campaign advisor on gay rights) who addressed the audience (you can read my report about the rally here).

The very same Tobias Wolff was a guest at a recent event at the White House. Each guest was allowed to bring another guest. Jennifer Beals was there but she wasn’t on the guest list, so maybe Mr. Wolff invited her. Who knows…but Jennifer was there and it’s just proves once again how much she became to be involved with the LGBT community since appearing on The L Word.

Jennifer looked beautiful as usual. As some very observant fans pointed out, she was wearing another dress from the set of The L Word, the one she was wearing in the season finale. Well, Jennifer did mention a few times that all of the cast members had an opportunity to purchase anything from the set wardrobe after each season…it’s just seems that Jennifer appears more often in those dresses.

Anyway, back to the event at the White House. On June 29, President Obama addressed a group of LGBT representatives to commemorate the 40th Anniversary of Stonewall Riots and to honor LGBT Pride. Some called it “a historic move”; others called it “a little too late” and a “window-dressing”.

Here are a few points of view about President’s address.

Jarrett Barrios, a newly appointed President of GLAAD, posted his statement on www.glaad.org, saying that event on June 29 was “the first time that Stonewall was commemorated by the White House, was a symbol of the fact that the administration recognizes our community at a time when there has been growing frustration about his administration's seeming reticence to follow through on campaign promises.”

He also mentioned that President Obama said “that the road to equality is not only about changing laws, but about changing hearts. Indeed, legal advances are vitally important, but full equality requires us to move our culture - through conversations, living openly in our communities, and through media representations- to a place where gay and transgender Americans are accepted and understood.”

John Berry, who is the director of the Office of Personal Management and the openly gay official in the Obama Administration, had an interview with The Advocate recently. He mentioned there that there are several LGBT issues that are “both the short-term and long-term focus of this administration.” The four broad legislative goals include hate crimes, Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ and the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Berry said that though he’s not going to pledge or promise that it’s going to be done by a certain date, “the goal is to have this entire agenda accomplished and enacted into law so that it is secure.”

The House passed the Hate Crime bill on April 29, and on July 14, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced that the Democrats will introduce Hate Crime legislation named for Matthew Shepherd and it could be the first opportunity for the new administration to begin working on these goals.

After the President’s speech, many newspapers, networks, and individuals reported on the event and also expressed their support or criticism.

Washington Post remarked that “the excitement among the several hundred guests invited by the first couple to the East Wing Monday was tempered by frustration among many who believe that the president has moved too slowly to make good on his campaign promises.”

HRC representatives stated that “We must continue the hard work of turning that support into the passage of actual laws. We look forward to working with President Obama and his administration to advance equality, and we pledge to be good-faith partners throughout the many battles that lie ahead of us.”

Log Cabin Republican spokesperson, Charles T. Moran said that the President threw this party after he passed on several issues that would fulfill Obama’s promises to the community. “This Administration has had several opportunities to show its commitment to the LGBT community and make life better for millions of Americans. Hosting this 'sideshow' reception only rubs salt in the wounds of so many that actually believed his message of ‘hope and change’.”

ABC reported that some democratic activists in the LGBT community said “that President Obama’s campaign promises regarding ‘Don’t ask, Don’t tell’ policy and to repeal DOMA do not seem to be top-tier priorities.” They emphasized that earlier in June the Obama administration filed a legal brief defending DOMA. That brief compared in legal terms same-sex marriages to incestuous ones and it was met with some anger in the LGBT community.

The Wall Street Journal commented that “President Barack Obama, under fire from the gay-rights community over slow action on its priorities, promised to deliver by the time he leaves office. The president gave no new details about how he would advance these issues, but he made passionate remarks saluting the pioneers of the gay-rights movement and expressed solidarity with those working for equal rights.”

There were more comments made about President’s address and as you can see, not all of them are positive. Despite the criticism and awareness among the LGBT community that President Obama might not deliver on his promises, he still got a great reception from LGBT attendees and he addressed some of that criticism in his speech.

Here’re a few extracts from the President Obama’s address and you can watch the full video here.

“I know that many in this room don’t believe that progress has come fast enough, and I understand that … But I say this, we have made progress, and we will make more. And I want you to know that I expect and hope to be judged not by words, not by promises I’ve made, but by the promises that my administration keeps…”

“Now, while there is much more work to do, we can point to important changes we’ve already put in place since coming into office. I’ve signed a memorandum requiring all agencies to extend as many federal benefits as possible to LGBT families as current law allows … I’ve called on Congress to repeal the so-called Defense of Marriage Act to help end discrimination, to help end discrimination against same-sex couples in this country.”

“I’m also urging Congress to pass the Domestic Partners Benefits and Obligations Act, which will guarantee the full range of benefits, including health care, to LGBT couples and their children. My administration is also working hard to pass an employee non-discrimination bill and hate crimes bill, and we're making progress on both fronts.”

“And finally, I want to say a word about ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’. As I said before … I believe ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ doesn’t contribute to our national security. In fact, I believe preventing patriotic Americans from serving their country weakens our national security.”

As I said in the beginning, I’m not an expert on politics. This is my first real attempt to delve into the issues that the LGBT community is facing every day and I can only hope that President Obama will earn the trust of LGBT community by his actions and not just his promises.