THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

City of Chicago

Commission on Human Relations

Advisory Council on Lesbian, Gay,

Bisexual and Transgender Issues

RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, From a sense of international solidarity, the United States movement for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights has played a crucial role during recent decades in assisting the growth of similar movements in other countries; and

WHEREAS, Progress made in other countries toward enhancing the rights of sexual minorities has in some cases exceeded progress in the United States and has thus set the example for further progress in this country; and

WHEREAS, The rights of sexual minorities are embraced by the concept of human rights, such a definition of human rights is not culture-specific, and in an increasingly interrelated world the fate of such rights in one country both engages the international conscience and can have profound effects on their being honored in another; and

WHEREAS, In recent initiatives by President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, the United States Government has given invaluable support to the international protection of human rights for sexual minorities; and

WHEREAS, These initiatives have included a Presidential Memorandum directing all federal agencies engaged abroad to ensure that U.S. diplomacy and foreign assistance promote and protect the human rights of LGBT persons in such ways as combating their criminalization, protecting refugees and asylum seekers, assisting antidiscrimination efforts in other countries, and working against discrimination through international organizations, besides including a momentous and comprehensive address by the Secretary of State to the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva on International Human Rights Day; and

WHEREAS, Throughout its history, this Advisory Council has taken note of pressing international developments in the struggle for sexual-minority rights and has undertaken to call attention at local and national government levels to such developments; and

WHEREAS, Because of budget decisions by Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the City Council of Chicago, this Advisory Council will cease to exist as of January 1, 2012; and

WHEREAS, No recent steps toward protecting sexual-minority rights could be more fitting for this Advisory Council to recognize at its final meeting than the praiseworthy and influential initiatives taken during the past month by the President and the Secretary of State;

Now, Therefore, Be It RESOLVED, That this Advisory Council thanks and congratulates President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton for their ongoing efforts to secure the human rights of LGBT persons in this country and worldwide; and

Be It Further RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be forwarded to the President and the Secretary of State, as well as to other interested parties and the news media.