US Secretary of State and former First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton is featured on the cover and in the pages of the new issue of The Advocate magazine. Since Secretary Clinton made her bold comment “Human rights are gay rights, and gay rights are human rights, once and for all”, she has brought the dialogue of GLBT rights to the forefront of political discussion around the world … much to the pleasure of The Advocate.
In spite of a wave of controversy washing over the U.S. State Department with the release of classified documents, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton granted The Advocate’s Washington correspondent, Kerry Eleveld, an interview just two days before the February issue went to press. Arguably the Obama administration’s most progressive and productive agency on LGBT equality, the State Department, under Clinton’s leadership, overhauled discriminatory personnel policies while championing gay rights internationally. Soon after declaring that “human rights are gay rights, and gay rights are human rights, once and for all” at the State Department’s pride celebration, Clinton began clarifying the department’s LGBT human rights policy to U.S. embassies around the globe. “There is this rising global tide of violence against the LGBT community around the world,” Clinton says, “and we are taking the lead in confronting the dangers of the lives and the livelihood of LGBT people as they go about their daily lives.” Still, Secretary Clinton remains unchanged on the issue of full marriage equality. Clinton, recently caught off guard during a recent inquiry on the topic during a visit to Australia, supports civil unions but not full marriage equality. Despite her husband’s recent announcement that he supports full marriage equality, having many committed gay couples among his friends, Clinton says, “Well, I share his experience because we obviously share a lot of the same friends, but I have not changed my position.” Nevertheless, Clinton aims to stomp out inequities in her own federal agency and worldwide. “I just really have a strong negative reaction to prejudice, discrimination, hatred, violence–anything that tried to delegitimize or marginalize any of our fellow citizens,” she notes. “So it fits into my long-term and personally felt commitment to expanding the circle of human rights for everyone.”
Yes, the fact that Secretary Clinton does not support same-sex marriage does bother me greatly but I do commend her fierce support of GLBT rights in the larger, global sense. I get that not everyone can agree on everything but I also understand that working together on the issues that we do agree on will be of great benefit to all. President Bill Clinton supports same-sex marriage and that is perfectly fine with me. But same-sex marriage is not the only thing that the GLBT community is fighting for. I sincerely hope that Sec. Clinton will keep the discourse on HUMAN RIGHTS, including the rights of GLBT humans, on the forefront of her agenda. Click HERE to read the full online version of The Advocate‘s cover story on Hillary Clinton … what do you think about their decision to laud her by putting them on their cover?
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If gay rights are human rights then marriage is marriage. I think what she has done is cool but don’t only go half way. If you are saying such a bold statement as the aforementioned then champion for the whole cause and not what you believe to be okay about it. Until rights are fully given then she hasn’t done enough in my book.
I love Hillary, but it makes me sad that she does not support same-sex marriage. However, it also makes me wonder if she’s considering running for president again, because convention dictates she has to be anti same-sex marriage in order to be elected. Time will tell. Maybe she’s just leaving the door open. That explanation wouldn’t really make me feel better, since if she support same-sex marriage, I wish she’d say so regardless of the consequences. But I wonder.
I HOPE SHE RUNS FOR PRESIDENCY AGAIN! I HOPE SHE WINS AND STOMPS ALL OVER SARAH FAILIN! I can just picture it now… Hillary VS. Sarah. Commenter: “Sarah Palin, what would you do to make the U.S. a better place?” Sarah says: “Oh, that’s a great question! I would make it legal to shoot overpopulated animals from helicopters as a sport to save the environment so we can build more shopping malls and I would fine citizens $50 for talking ill about Republicans, then we can save that money and pay our debt and stay on top and be a maverick because, you know, mavericks are just so darn tootin’ fun!” Commenter: “Hillary, same question.” Hillary says: “I would snatch Sarah Failins weave and save humanity.”
I still think this country made a horrible move by not electing her to the presidency. Her comment about marriage equality stinks of politics…although she said she’s thinking about retiring, could she be holding her cards close and pondering a future run again?
I think the government just needs to grant civil unions & take the religious connotation out of the word “marriage”. If a couple, same-sex or opposite sex decide they want the religious aspect of a “marriage” ceremony then by all means do so, but don’t deny a human a basic right to commit to one another simply because “marriage” is associated with “church” or “bible”.
I think first and foremost she is a politician. Her husband, my bff Bill, is not so encumbered. I believe that she is speaking with her mind toward the administration’s goals and not from her heart. Bill will prevail. =]
HILLARY 2012 or 2016 even!
It could have been her. She will never abandon the gay community and I would her to be the first American president!
She may not support gay marriage now but wait til she becomes the President, things will happen! Go Hill!