In his address, Obama recalls some milestones of 'the extraordinary progress' the LGBT rights movement has made in the U.S. and mentions Caitlyn's Vanity Fair's cover as one of the examples.
- June 26, 2015
AceShowbiz -
President Barack Obama welcomed the audience at Logo Trailblazer Honors on Thursday, June 25, with a special video message. In addition to celebrating the network's tenth anniversary, Obama gave a shout-out to Caitlyn Jenner's Vanity Fair's cover while addressing "the extraordinary progress" of the LGBT rights movement in the last decade.
"Tonight is a chance to celebrate, not just ten years of Logo, but ten years of extraordinary progress for our country," said Obama in the video. "When this network aired its first show, gay marriage was a political wedge issue used to divide us. Today the majority of Americans live in states where they can get married, no matter who they love."
Obama recalled some milestones the nation had been through until they made it to this point. He continued, "Today 'Don't Ask Don't Tell' is history. We passed the hate crime law that bears Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr.'s name." The U.S. President also gave a clear example of their accomplishment by addressing Vanity Fair's cover which displayed Caitlyn. "And all you have to do is look at this month's cover of Vanity Fair to see how America is more accepting of people for who they truly are," he said.
Despite the achievement, Obama reminded people, "We still have plenty of work to do together." He added, "But tonight is a reminder that when everybody does their part, when every voice is heard, change is not just possible - change is inevitable. So here's to ten extraordinary years, and all the years to come." He closed his speech by inviting people to work together for the nation's social issues as saying, "Let's keep standing together to make sure every American is treated with dignity and respect they deserve."
Besides the special video message from Obama, the largest pride event on television included special messages from Ian McKellen, Judith Light, Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, and many more. The event featured performances from Adam Lambert and Bleachers. Logo Trailblazer Honors will air on Saturday, June 27, on Logo TV.
On different occasion, it is clear that not only Obama who finds that Caitlyn's transformation inspirational, but also Caitlyn's ex-spouse, Kris Jenner. On Wednesday, June 24, Kris told Extra about his opinion on Caitlyn's transition. "I think it's amazing," she said at the Daily Mail Yacht party. "I think that someone following their dream is truly inspirational to a lot of people...you have to do what makes you happy."
