From a national news personality who tried to drink away her same-sex desire to a champion figure skater who was openly flamboyant before he was openly gay, a diverse panel gathered Dec. 14 at Atlanta’s Grady High School to discuss topics ranging from coming out stories to acceptance within and outside the LGBT community.
The panel, part of a series of CNN Dialogues, was titled, “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender: Has More Openness Led to More Acceptance?” Emory University, CNN and the National Center for Civil & Human Rights hosted the forum.
President Barack Obama today issued a memorandum to the heads of each executive branch directing government agencies to “promote and protect the human rights of LGBT persons.”
“I am deeply concerned by the violence and discrimination targeting LGBT persons around the world — whether it is passing laws that criminalize LGBT status, beating citizens simply for joining peaceful LGBT Pride celebrations, or killing men, women, and children for their perceived sexual orientation,” the memo reads.
The president ordered agencies under the executive branch to combat the criminalization of LGBT status or conduct, protect LGBT refugees and assylum seekers, issue “swift and meaningful” responses to human rights abuses of LGBT persons abroad, and engage international gay rights organizations in the fight against LGBT discrimination.