President Obama included gay and
lesbian families in his proclamation for Family Day 2009.
“Whether children are raised by two
parents, a single parent, grandparents, a same-sex couple, or a
guardian, families encourage us to do our best and enable us to
accomplish great things,” the White House proclamation says.
The inclusion is certain to draw fire
from social conservatives who oppose gay rights, but it also received
a tepid welcome from the gay community, which increasingly fears
Obama is all tongue and no trousers on the issue of gay rights.
Several commenters at the LGBT blog
Pam's House Blend reacted negatively to the news. “Mr.
President,” one commenter asked, “when are you going to actually
DO something for same-sex couples and their children? Other than
make ceremonial proclamations, that is.”
The community's relationship with the
president began to sour when his administration defended the 1996 law
that bans federal recognition of gay marriages, the Defense of
Marriage Act (DOMA).
Obama has also refused to sign an
executive order that would end the discharges of gay and lesbian
military personnel while repeal legislation of “don't ask, don't
tell,” the law that bans open gay service in the military, is
debated in Congress.
The inclusion of gay families comes on
the heels of a newly released study that concludes gay couples are as
fit to adopt as heterosexuals.
Using information from Florida's public
child and welfare system, researchers at the University of Texas
School of Social Work concluded that the “sexual orientation of the
adoptive parents was not a significant predictor of emotional
problems.”