campusprogress.org – Posted by Jeff Krehely with Kellan Baker
President Barack Obama moved forcefully to tackle injustice and discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Americans by signing into law two bills long championed by LGBT and human rights organizations.* First is the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which expanded the 1969 federal hate crimes law to include crimes motivated by bias against someone’s real or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. Second is the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” the military’s ban on service by openly gay, lesbian, or bisexual individuals.