President Obama has been the driving force behind some of this country’s most monumental advancements for the gay community.
Citing the strides that POTUS has made—when he began his term, gay marriage was legal in a dismal two states—Out Magazine, one of the nation’s leading LGBT publications, just named President Obama as its ally of the year. POTUS’ black and white portrait on the cover of the magazine marks the first time that a sitting president has been featured on the front of an LGBT Magazine, reports NBC News.
Supreme Court Rules Same-Sex Marriage Legal
“This president and his administration have ushered extraordinary change into the lives of LGBT Americans,” reads the magazine’s cover story. “President Obama’s evolution on marriage equality has been something to behold. He came to office reiterating that marriage was an institution reserved for a man and a woman, and continued to hold that line throughout most of his first term.”
In his interview, President Obama said that his commitment to LGBT rights was largely influenced by memories of his own childhood where he was discriminated against.
“Growing up a Black guy with a funny name, I was often reminded of exactly what it felt like to be on the outside,” he said. “One of the reasons I got involved in politics was to help deliver on our promise that we’re all created equal and that no one should be excluded from the American edam just because of who they are.”