National
Obama kicks off 2012 re-election campaign
Some LGBT advances, but other ’08 promises unfulfilled
President Obama (Blade photo by Michael Key)
President Obama kicked off his re-election campaign this week as LGBT advocates urged supporters to continue backing him as the 2012 election approaches.
On Monday, Obama filed papers with the Federal Election Commission indicating that he would run for re-election and sent a letter to supporters via his campaign to pump them up for election season.
“We’re doing this now because the politics we believe in does not start with expensive TV ads or extravaganzas, but with you — with people organizing block-by-block, talking to neighbors, co-workers, and friends,” Obama wrote. “And that kind of campaign takes time to build.”
“So even though I’m focused on the job you elected me to do, and the race may not reach full speed for a year or more, the work of laying the foundation for our campaign must start today,” Obama continued.
Obama seems unlikely to face a serious challenger in the Democratic primaries. With his approval ratings rising to about 53 percent, according an Associated Press poll published last week, the president also heads into election season as a strong candidate against any Republican opponent in the general election.
Media outlets have speculated that Obama’s campaign could be the first in history that will raise $1 billion to propel a U.S. presidential candidate to the White House. As in 2008, Obama is expected to run strictly on donations from supporters and not to accept federal public financing.
Obama supporters noted the accomplishments he’s made for the LGBT community during his first term in office.
One of the steps the president has unilaterally taken is mandating hospitals that receive funding under Medicare and Medicaid offer visitation rights for same-sex couples and adding gender identity as a category of non-discrimination for federal workers. Under his administration, Congress also passed a hate crimes law inclusive of sexual orientation and gender identity and legislation allowing for repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”
Still, some campaign promises that Obama made to the LGBT community in 2008 remain unfulfilled. For example, Congress has yet to pass an Employment Non-Discrimination Act with protections based on both sexual orientation and gender identity and the Defense of Marriage Act, which Obama supported repealing it its entirety, still remains on the books.
Jamie Citron, director of the Democratic National Committee’s LGBT Leadership Council, said Obama’s accomplishments during his first term demonstrate why LGBT people should continue their support — and why many are already gearing up for the new campaign.
“I think that the president over the few years — especially looking at the some of the accomplishments — has made it very, very clear that he has the community’s back and that we are at the heart of his vision for this country moving forward,” Citron said.
Among the acts that Citron cited were making a record number of openly LGBT appointments, declaring DOMA to be unconstitutional and directing the Justice Department to no longer defend the law in court and taking on anti-bullying efforts that included holding a conference against student harassment at the White House.
“I think this adds up to a very clear stance on the part of the president that he has the LGBT community in mind,” Citron said. “It’s not the type of thing that the president does to be showy or to gain support; it’s because he believes it’s the right thing to do, and I think that’s important.”
As he maintained that Obama has acted on behalf on the LGBT community, Citron said that LGBT support is needed for the president as he heads into campaign season. Citron said the coalition that worked to elect Obama in 2008 needs to expand for success in 2012.
“The LGBT community is one that over the last few years has found its footing its incredible ways, has found its voice and has really — here in Washington and all over the country — made sure its voice is heard,” Citron said. “We’re going to need that type of energy and voice to make sure the accomplishments that I was just talking about are out there and LGBT Americans all across the country — in big towns and small — know about them as well.”
Many LGBT advocates are similarly urging continued backing of Obama in his re-election campaign.
Fred Sainz, vice president of communications for the Human Rights Campaign, reiterated Obama’s accomplishments for the LGBT community during his first term in office.
“President Obama has been a steadfast advocate for LGBT families and the issues that are important to them,” Sainz said. “From the passage of the hate crimes protection act to the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’ and countless other decisions to further equality, this president has made better the lives of millions in our community.”
Sainz noted HRC has not yet endorsed any presidential candidate for the 2012 election.
Michael Mitchell, executive director of the National Stonewall Democrats, similarly advocated for the president and touted the achievements that he has made thus far.
“Barack Obama was the right choice for America in 2008 and is still very much the right choice for America in 2012,” Mitchell said. “Because of the scores of actions beneficial to the LGBT community that the Obama administration has taken — all of which would have never happened under a GOP administration — President Obama is also the right choice for the LGBT community.”
But John Aravosis, the gay editor of AMERICAblog, said LGBT people should see more from Obama during his first term as they recommit to his re-election in 2012.
“We’re still a good year and a half until the presidential elections, but if the president continues along his current path — and finishes repealing ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’ signs an executive order on ENDA, and comes out in favor of marriage equality — I think the community could and should vigorously support his re-election,” Aravosis said. “He has ample time to show us that his recent renewed interest in our civil rights is sincere and sustained.”
The Republican National Committee has already capitalized on Obama’s support for the LGBT community in an attack on the president on the committee’s website that was launched on the day Obama announced he would pursue re-election.
Acts in support of the LGBT community are listed among the 10 things the RNC cites as “The Case Against Obama: Social Issues” on its “Hope Isn’t Hiring” page.
The LGBT-related items are “Despite It Being the Law of the Land, Obama Refused to Continue Defending the Defense of Marriage Act in Court,” “Obama Repealed ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ While U.S. Troops Are Still on the Battlefield” and “Obama Opposed California’s Prop 8 and Has Expanded Government Recognition of Same-Sex Couples.”
In a letter dated April 5, Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign, wrote to Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus to question why the Republican Party would attack Obama for acts that benefited the LGBT community.
“From the way in which certain issues are detailed, reasonable people would conclude that the RNC believes in discrimination against LGBT people,” Solmonese writes. “You sensationalize issues like hospital visitation rights for loving families and ending housing discrimination when the truth is Americans agree that these are the right things to do.”
The RNC didn’t immediately respond to the Washington Blade’s request for comment on the HRC letter.
R. Clarke Cooper, executive director of Log Cabin Republicans, said his organization has spoken with the RNC about the anti-LGBT initiative and expressed disapproval.
“We are in communication with the RNC on this issue and have made it clear that this kind of divisive rhetoric is not what Americans voted for in 2010 and will hurt, rather than help Republicans in 2012,” Cooper said. “The RNC’s message that hope isn’t hiring is strong enough as an indictment of the Obama administration’s failures on leadership and the economy. There is no need to weaken that message by raising social issues in ways that turn off the average voter.”
New York
N.Y. lawmaker vows ‘Pride flag will fly again’ at Stonewall Monument
After a Jan. 21 policy shift, Pride flags were banned at national parks, prompting backlash from Bottcher and LGBTQ advocates.
Hours after news broke that the National Park Service would no longer allow Pride flags to fly at the Stonewall National Monument — the birthplace of the modern LGBTQ rights movement in the United States — the Washington Blade spoke with New York State Sen. Erik Bottcher, who represents the area surrounding the Stonewall Inn and the national monument.
During the interview, Bottcher, who is gay, spoke about the policy change and outlined steps he plans to take in the coming days to push for its reversal.
“This is another act of erasure,” Bottcher told the Blade. “It’s a cowardly attempt to rewrite history and to intimidate our community. This is Stonewall — it’s where we fought back, where we ignited a global movement for equality — and we refuse to go back. We’re not going to accept these acts of erasure.”
The Stonewall Inn became a flashpoint in 1969 after NYPD officers raided the bar, part of a longstanding pattern of police harassment of LGBTQ spaces. The raid sparked days of protest and resistance along Christopher Street, now widely recognized as the catalyst for the modern LGBTQ rights movement.
While the events are often referred to as the “Stonewall Riots,” many activists and historians prefer the term “Stonewall Uprising,” emphasizing that the resistance was a response to systemic oppression rather than senseless violence. LGBTQ patrons and community members fought back — shouting “Gay Power!” and “Liberate Christopher Street!” — as crowds grew and frustration with police abuse boiled over.
Since the uprising, LGBTQ people and allies have gathered annually in June to commemorate Stonewall and to celebrate Pride, honoring the movement that placed LGBTQ voices at the center of the fight for equality.
In June 2016, then President Barack Obama officially designated the space as the Stonewall National Monument, making it the United States’s first national monument designated for an LGBTQ historic site.
Now, nearly 10 years later, President Trump’s appointed NPS acting director Jessica Bowron changed policy on Jan. 21 regarding which flags are allowed to be flown in national parks. Many, including Bottcher, say this is part of a larger targeted and deliberate attempt by the administration to erase LGBTQ history.
“It’s clear they’re making a conscious decision to erase the symbols of our community from a monument to our community’s struggle,” he said. “This is a calculated and premeditated decision, and it could be — and should be — reversed.”
“Let’s be clear,” Bottcher added, “they wish we didn’t exist … But we’re not going anywhere. We refuse to go back into the shadows.”
When asked why it is critical to challenge the policy, Bottcher emphasized the importance of visibility in preserving LGBTQ history.
“This is why it’s so important that we not let this stand,” he said. “Visibility is critical. When people see us, learn about us, and get to know us, that’s how we break down prejudice and stereotypes. We cannot allow them to push us back into the shadows.”
Other LGBTQ leaders and elected officials were quick to condemn the removal of the Pride flag, which had flown since the site’s official designation as a national monument.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani called the decision “outrageous.”
“I am outraged by the removal of the Rainbow Pride Flag from Stonewall National Monument,” Mamdani said in a statement. “New York is the birthplace of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement, and no act of erasure will ever change or silence that history.”
“Our city has a duty not just to honor this legacy, but to live up to it,” he added. “I will always fight for a New York City that invests in our LGBTQ+ community, defends their dignity, and protects every one of our neighbors — without exception.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer also condemned the move.
“The removal of the Pride Rainbow Flag from the Stonewall National Monument is a deeply outrageous action that must be reversed immediately,” Schumer said in a statement to The Advocate. “Stonewall is a landmark because it is the birthplace of the modern LGBTQ rights movement, and symbols of that legacy belong there by both history and principle.”
Cathy Renna, communications director for the National LGBTQ Task Force, said the flag’s removal will not erase the movement it represents.
“They can take down a flag, but they can’t take down our history,” Renna said. “Stonewall is sacred ground rooted in resistance, liberation, and the legacy of trans and queer trailblazers who changed the course of history.”
Human Rights Campaign National Press Secretary Brandon Wolf echoed that sentiment.
“Bad news for the Trump administration: these colors don’t run,” Wolf said. “The Stonewall Inn and Visitors Center are privately owned, their flags are still flying high, and that community is just as queer today as it was yesterday.”
Tyler Hack, executive director of the Christopher Street Project, said the removal was aimed squarely at LGBTQ visibility.
“The Pride flag was removed from Stonewall for one reason: to further erase queer and trans people from public life,” Hack said. “Stonewall marks the moment when queer and trans people fought back and demanded dignity. Our history is not theirs to erase.”
Bottcher closed with a promise to his constituents — and to the broader LGBTQ community — that the Pride flag’s removal would not be permanent.
“We will not be erased. We will not be silenced,” he said. “And the Pride flag will fly again at the birthplace of our movement.”
Florida
Disney’s Gay Days ‘has not been canceled’ despite political challenges
GayDays is moving forward with its planned LGBTQ meet-up
Gay Days in Orlando is preparing for its 2026 gathering though organizers have yet to release full details.
Concerns emerged about the status of the annual meetup of LGBTQ people at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla., after social media posts and multiple news outlets reported the event would not take place this year.
In response to inquiries from the Blade, Josh Duke, co-owner of Gay Days, clarified that an update would come this week.
“At this time, I’d like to clarify that Gay Days Orlando has not been canceled,” an email to the Blade said. “We are currently finalizing details regarding our plans for 2026 and will be making an official announcement later this week.”
Earlier this week, Gay Days posted about a pause in their plans for the annual meeting, which quickly gained traction online.
In an official statement on social media, Gay Days organizers cited several factors behind what had initially appeared to be a cancellation of their 2026 event.
“Changes to our host hotel agreement, the loss of key sponsorship support, and broader challenges currently impacting LGBTQIA+ events nationwide made it impossible to deliver the experience our community deserves,” organizers wrote. However, the statement added, “This is a pause — not an ending.”
In a longer message shared with supporters, organizers elaborated on that now-reversed decision.
“Gay Days Family — it is with very heavy hearts that we share Gay Days 2026 will not take place this year. This was an incredibly difficult decision and one that was only made after every possible option was explored.
“Gay Days has always been more than an event — it is community, family, and a place where so many memories are made. While this pause is painful, it also gives us the opportunity to step back, listen, and begin shaping a stronger and reimagined GayDays for the future. Thank you for your continued love, patience, and support. This is not goodbye — it’s a reset, and we look forward to creating the future of GayDays together.”
GayDays, which began in 1991, encourages queer Disney fans to visit the Orlando theme park while wearing red shirts to identify one another. Originally focused on gay men reclaiming the childhood joy often denied due to homophobia, the event has expanded over the years to include LGBTQ+ families on summer vacations and queer couples honeymooning in the Magic Kingdom.
Disney made history in 2019 by holding its first-ever official Pride event at its European park, Disneyland Paris. In 2023, Disneyland California hosted the first U.S. official Pride event.
Concerns about the potential cancellation had arisen amid broader challenges affecting LGBTQ events nationwide. These include changes in hotel agreements, sponsorship support, and Florida’s increasingly restrictive anti-LGBTQ policies under Gov. Ron DeSantis. Florida currently has an equality score of -3.00 out of 49 from the Movement Advancement Project, which evaluates states based on policies affecting relationship and parental recognition, nondiscrimination, religious exemptions, LGBTQ youth, healthcare, criminal justice, and transgender identity documentation.
Recent legislation in Florida has included prohibitions on hormone replacement therapy for transgender minors, restrictions on adult access to treatment, bans on drag performances for those under 18, bathroom bans for transgender people in state buildings, and expansion of the Parental Rights in Education Act, commonly called the “Don’t Say Gay” law. These measures limit public school instruction or discussion about sexual orientation and gender identity.
Gay Days Anaheim is scheduled to take place at Disneyland Resort in September.
Disney has also maintained a focus on Pride, reporting in 2022 that proceeds from Pride merchandise benefited numerous LGBTQ organizations, including GLSEN, PFLAG, The Trevor Project, Zebra Coalition, the Los Angeles LGBT Center, the LGBT Center Orange County, the San Francisco LGBT Center, and the Ali Forney Center. Pride merchandise sold internationally supports local LGBTQ organizations in those regions.
More details about this event are expected to be released on Friday.
New York
Pride flag removed from Stonewall Monument as Trump targets LGBTQ landmarks
The new NPS policy targets Pride flags amid consistent efforts from the Trump administration to minimize LGBTQ history.
A rainbow Pride flag flying at the Stonewall National Monument in New York was removed at the direction of Trump administration officials at the National Park Service, according to a source familiar with the matter who spoke to the Blade on condition of anonymity.
The source said the move had been in the works for weeks and is part of ongoing efforts by the Trump-Vance administration to erase LGBTQ identity from federally controlled landmarks.
In response to the Blade’s request for information about the new flag policy, the National Park Service provided the following statement:
“Current Department of the Interior policy provides that the National Park Service may only fly the U.S. flag, Department of the Interior flags, and the Prisoner of War/Missing in Action flag on flagpoles and public display points. The policy allows limited exceptions, permitting non-agency flags when they serve an official purpose. These include historical context or reenactments, current military branch flags, flags of federally recognized tribal nations affiliated with a park, flags at sites co-managed with other federal, state, or municipal partners, flags required for international park designations, and flags displayed under agreements with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for Naturalization ceremonies.”
The statement also included official guidance on the display of non-agency flags issued by Trump-appointed National Park Service Director Jessica Bowron.
The Blade reached out to other organizations to confirm the status of the Pride flag last week, including the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center, the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission, and the National Parks Conservation Association. None were able to provide details about whether the flag was still flying at that time but it has since been removed.
This action aligns with other moves targeting and erasing LGBTQ history. In September, the Blade reported that three organizations originally slated to receive more than $1.25 million from the National Park Service’s Underrepresented Communities Grant Program would no longer receive funding: In Washington, D.C., the Preservation League had been awarded $75,000 to document LGBTQ+ historic resources. In Providence, R.I., the Preservation Society was slated for $74,692 to conduct an LGBTQ+ survey and prepare a National Register nomination. And in New York, the Fund for the City of New York, Inc., had been awarded $32,000 to nominate the residence of Bayard Rustin — the iconic civil rights and LGBTQ activist — as a National Historic Landmark.
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