Recently in Young Adult Category

Last week, an episode of Hardball with Chris Matthews on MSNBC included a clip from Sen. Barack Obama’s college tour, which had stopped at West Chester University in Pennsylvania. A student stood up and asked Obama, “Hi, Senator Obama. My name is David Bernett and I just have a question for you, and that is where do you stand on gay marriage?”

Young people are at the front lines, in communities and in the media, addressing the issues faced by the LGBT community, often because they’re further along than the rest of the country. Surveys and polls support this fact – including the 2006 Hamilton College Youth Hot Button Issues Poll, which showed that three quarters of that year’s high school seniors favor legal recognition of gay and lesbian relationships, whether as marriages or civil unions. This progress speaks to the work of our movement, the increased visibility of our community at every level, and the impact it’s had on young people all over the country.

And it’s because young people are passionate about the LGBT community that Obama’s response about marriage got time on Hardball above all the other important issues facing our country today. Though Obama does not support marriage for gay and lesbian couples, he did voice his support for civil unions, and spoke out about the importance of ensuring that couples are able to take care of each other, especially in moments of crisis. The inclusion of his response highlights the role that young people will continue to play in moving our issues forward in this election cycle and in upcoming election cycles - and the importance of telling our stories to ensure that our issues stay on the table. 

Rashad Robinson is Senior Director of Media Programs