Hillary Clinton speaks at the UN regarding LGBT human rights

[iamkeri1]

If you are like me, this video will make you cry and make you proud.
It's 30 minutes long.

I don't know how to imbed this video here, so I have included a link.
I finally got it figured out how to do youtube videos but don't know how to do other videos, so would someone please stick it on here for me - and if you drop me a note about how to do it myself, I would really appreciate it.

Smooches,
Keri
http://maddowblog.mswnbc.msn.com/

[iamkeri1]

Here's a link to a written transcript of the speech.
Smooches,
Keri

http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2011/12/178368.htm

Here's a short sample:

... Today, I want to talk about the work we have left to do to protect one group of people whose human rights are still denied in too many parts of the world today. In many ways, they are an invisible minority. They are arrested, beaten, terrorized, even executed. Many are treated with contempt and violence by their fellow citizens while authorities empowered to protect them look the other way or, too often, even join in the abuse. They are denied opportunities to work and learn, driven from their homes and countries, and forced to suppress or deny who they are to protect themselves from harm.

I am talking about gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people, human beings born free and given bestowed equality and dignity, who have a right to claim that, which is now one of the remaining human rights challenges of our time. I speak about this subject knowing that my own country's record on human rights for gay people is far from perfect. Until 2003, it was still a crime in parts of our country. Many LGBT Americans have endured violence and harassment in their own lives, and for some, including many young people, bullying and exclusion are daily experiences. So we, like all nations, have more work to do to protect human rights at home.

Now, raising this issue, I know, is sensitive for many people and that the obstacles standing in the way of protecting the human rights of LGBT people rest on deeply held personal, political, cultural, and religious beliefs. So I come here before you with respect, understanding, and humility. Even though progress on this front is not easy, we cannot delay acting. So in that spirit, I want to talk about the difficult and important issues we must address together to reach a global consensus that recognizes the human rights of LGBT citizens everywhere.

The first issue goes to the heart of the matter. Some have suggested that gay rights and human rights are separate and distinct; but, in fact, they are one and the same. Now, of course, 60 years ago, the governments that drafted and passed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights were not thinking about how it applied to the LGBT community. They also weren’t thinking about how it applied to indigenous people or children or people with disabilities or other marginalized groups. Yet in the past 60 years, we have come to recognize that members of these groups are entitled to the full measure of dignity and rights, because, like all people, they share a common humanity.

This recognition did not occur all at once. It evolved over time. And as it did, we understood that we were honoring rights that people always had, rather than creating new or special rights for them. Like being a woman, like being a racial, religious, tribal, or ethnic minority, being LGBT does not make you less human. And that is why gay rights are human rights, and human rights are gay rights.

[AtLast]

Originally Posted by iamkeri1

If you are like me, this video will make you cry and make you proud.
It's 30 minutes long.

I don't know how to imbed this video here, so I have included a link.
I finally got it figured out how to do youtube videos but don't know how to do other videos, so would someone please stick it on here for me - and if you drop me a note about how to do it myself, I would really appreciate it.

Smooches,
Keri
http://maddowblog.mswnbc.msn.com/

This is the first time LGBT rights as Human Rights have been addressed by a Secretary of State- ever. Yes, history has been made! thanks, Keri for posting this. I do admire Hillary Clinton very much and feel she has been one of our most effective people in this position, earning respect of many world leaders- especially those George W alienated.

[UofMfan]

This is an extraordinary speech! We must take the 30 minutes to listen to it.

Share it everywhere folks, this is a game-changing speech, it is being compared to the likes of "I had a Dream".

[Sachita]

I love Hillary. I don't care what some people say. She knows how to play the game, position herself politically and her timing impeccable.

[SoNotHer]

Thank you for starting this thread and bringing this to greater attention, Iamkeri1. I had better luck with this link. The speech is groundbreaking and so worth the time -

http://bcove.me/qs3211sh

[Sparkle]

I agree it is groundbreaking.
And I agree it is a wonderful speech.

I just wish it was delivered to our own legislators & policy makers. To our own judges.
And our own immigration officials (who deny LGBT asylum seekers every single day).

I wish our highest elected & appointed officials could see the poignancy (& hypocrisy) of this address.
And I wish they were so inspired to do something about it *here* in the United States.

I hope it goes without saying that I am beyond thrilled that the US is committing resources aimed at establishing basic human rights for LGBT people in other parts of the world.

I just feel a huge amount of "physician heal thyself" given our current, particularly virulent & homophobic, political culture.