U.S. takes gay rights global, despite unsure welcome

President Barack Obama’s administration has taken the U.S. gay rights revolution global, using American embassies across the world as outposts in a struggle that still hasn’t been won at home. The United States sent five openly gay ambassadors abroad last year, with a sixth nominee, to Vietnam, now awaiting Senate confirmation. American diplomats are working to support gay rights in countries such as Poland, where prejudice remains deep, and to oppose violence and other abuse in countries like Nigeria and Russia, where gays face life-threatening risks.

It is incredible. I am amazed by what the U.S. is doing to help us. We are used to struggling and not finding any support.

Mariusz Kurc, editor of a Polish gay advocacy magazine, Replika

Some conservative American groups are outraged by the policy. Brian Brown, president of the National Organization for Marriage, calls it “a slap in the face to the majority of Americans,” given that American voters have rejected same-sex marriage in a number of state referendums.

This is taking a flawed view of what it means to be a human being — male and female — and trying to impose that on countries throughout the world. The administration would like people to believe that this is simply ‘live and let live.’ No, this is coercion in its worst possible form.

Brian Brown, president of the National Organization for Marriage

World gay rights