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Obama at Pride Reception: You've Made Our Union 'More Perfect'

Obama at Pride Reception: You've Made Our Union 'More Perfect'

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President Obama celebrated gains in LGBT rights and urged further activism at the White House Pride Month reception.

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At his eighth White House reception celebrating Pride Month, President Obama today thanked the LGBT activists who "have helped to make our union just a little more perfect."

He touted the arrival of marriage equality, the demise of "don't ask, don't tell," and the enactment of LGBT-inclusive hate-crimes law during his administration, but reminded attendees not to be complacent -- that there is work to be done to end employment discrimination, HIV, violence against transgender people, and persecution of LGBT people around the world. He also encouraged them to work to help other groups of people, such as children living in poverty or women overseas who are denied education.

He quoted gay African-American civil rights activist Bayard Rustin, saying "We need in every community a group of angelic troublemakers," and urged attendees to be just that. Watch his full remarks below.

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Trudy Ring

Trudy Ring is The Advocate’s senior politics editor and copy chief. She has been a reporter and editor for daily newspapers and LGBTQ+ weeklies/monthlies, trade magazines, and reference books. She is a political junkie who thinks even the wonkiest details are fascinating, and she always loves to see political candidates who are groundbreaking in some way. She enjoys writing about other topics as well, including religion (she’s interested in what people believe and why), literature, theater, and film. Trudy is a proud “old movie weirdo” and loves the Hollywood films of the 1930s and ’40s above all others. Other interests include classic rock music (Bruce Springsteen rules!) and history. Oh, and she was a Jeopardy! contestant back in 1998 and won two games. Not up there with Amy Schneider, but Trudy still takes pride in this achievement.
Trudy Ring is The Advocate’s senior politics editor and copy chief. She has been a reporter and editor for daily newspapers and LGBTQ+ weeklies/monthlies, trade magazines, and reference books. She is a political junkie who thinks even the wonkiest details are fascinating, and she always loves to see political candidates who are groundbreaking in some way. She enjoys writing about other topics as well, including religion (she’s interested in what people believe and why), literature, theater, and film. Trudy is a proud “old movie weirdo” and loves the Hollywood films of the 1930s and ’40s above all others. Other interests include classic rock music (Bruce Springsteen rules!) and history. Oh, and she was a Jeopardy! contestant back in 1998 and won two games. Not up there with Amy Schneider, but Trudy still takes pride in this achievement.