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- Category:
- News
- Author:
- Harley Dennett
- Posted:
- Wednesday, 5 November 2008
- Todd St Vrain ... Obama’s win will mean positive change for US gays and lesbians.
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Gay and lesbian Democrats have spent months convincing the estimated 100,000 US citizens living in Australia to post their ballots early because many gay reforms depended on Barack Obama’s victory.
Todd St Vrain, originally from Missouri, was one of those Obama campaigners in Sydney and a member of Democrats Abroad since he moved to Australia with his same-sex partner eight years ago.
One of the things he most wants to see happen in the next Congress and administration is same-sex partner immigration, an issue that stalled during the Bush years.
“I can’t tell you how many people I know who are in Democrats Abroad who are gay or lesbian and that’s a real issue,” he told Sydney Star Observer.
“That’s the reason I came to Australia, I was in a relationship with a Brazilian and when my job was re-located to the United States I had no legal means to bring him. For eight years now, they’ve been trying to introduce this legislation, now wisely called Keeping American Families United.”
“It’s one of my motivations for being involved with Democrats Abroad. Why should my government tell me who I can love?” It’s not only about Obama winning, but Democrats having a wider margin in Congress will determine what can be pushed forward.”
That meant issues like the US military’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell gay ban also had a real chance of being overturned, he said.
Democrats Abroad celebrated Obama’s victory throughout Wednesday at Slide.
Tags: Barack Obama, Democrats, Don't Ask Don't Tell, Immigration, US President
November 6th, 2008 @ 2:23 am
Good article. The piece of legislation discussed here is actually called the Uniting American Families Act. This issue affects ten’s of thousands of couples, anybody finding themselves in this situation can get advice from immigrationequality.org
November 6th, 2008 @ 12:37 pm
Hmm Ive always wondered what Obama’s stance is on Gay people.
November 7th, 2008 @ 12:46 pm
GO OBAMA !!!!!
November 10th, 2008 @ 3:46 pm
I felt heartened that Obama included gay people in his acceptance speech - welcoming everyone
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27531033/
Here is the exact quote from the above website:
“Young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled, Americans have sent a message to the world that we have never been just a collection of red states and blue states … We have been and always will be the United States of America.”