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Barack Obama takes oath of office
Barack Obama
Barack Obama is sworn in as 44th President of United States
"There are high hopes in the LGBT community that Obama will deliver on his promises"
Barack Obama has taken oath as the next President of the USA in Washington DC.
The oath was administered by the Chief Justice John G Roberts, who fluffed a few of his lines, causing brief confusion with the new President.
Proceedings were kicked off by the controversial pastor, Rick Warren, who once compared gay marriage to incest and paedophilia, and equated abortion akin to the Holocaust.
Barack Obama previously told journalists that he included the controversial priest in the ceremony because he wanted to reflect the unique diversity of the US, and while he didn’t necessarily agree with his views, he thought it important that they were represented in the event.
The ceremony was watched by millions of people in Washington, and it is estimated over a billion across the world.
In his November 5th victory speech, Obama became the first President-elect to acknowledge gay people. He said:
"If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.
“It's the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled, Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been just a collection of individuals or a collection of red states and blue states.”
There are high hopes in the LGBT community that Obama will deliver on his promises.
The 44th President has said he would oppose a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage and has also said that he would revoke the prohibition on openly gay, lesbian and bisexual people serving in the US Armed Forces, commonly known as ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’.
Two years ago, the newly appointed President said:
"While we have come a long way since the Stonewall riots in 1969, we still have a lot of work to do.
"Too often, the issue of LGBT rights is exploited by those seeking to divide us. But at its core, this issue is about who we are as Americans.
"It's about whether this nation is going to live up to its founding promise of equality by treating all its citizens with dignity and respect."
