Shaun Donovan, the U.S. Secretary of
Housing and Urban Development (HUD), has endorsed transgender rights
and gay marriage.
The 45-year-old Donovan delivered the
keynote address Tuesday at the National Center for Transgender
Equality's 8th annual Anniversary Awards Ceremony,
becoming the first sitting cabinet member to attend a transgender
rights event.
Donovan told the crowd that the Obama
administration “viewed the fight for equality on behalf of the
transgender community not as an issue, but as a priority.”
“HUD has been a leader in the fight …
for transgender equality.”
“Perhaps the most significant step
we've taken is proposing new regulations that will ensure transgender
individuals and couples can be eligible for our public housing and
Housing Choice Voucher programs that collectively serve 5.5 million
people.”
“[W]e are conducting the first-ever
national study of LGBT housing discrimination – a historic study we
designed based on feedback from town halls conducted in communities
across the country.”
“No one should ever have to hide
their identity in order to find a home – not in America,” he
added. (The video is embedded in the right panel of this page. For
more videos visit our video library.)
In comments after the event to D.C. gay
weekly MetroWeekly,
Donovan added that passage of a gay marriage law in New York made him
proud to be a New Yorker.
“So many friends that I know were
able to achieve a dream the day that law passed,” he said. “And
so many neighbors.”