The Obama administration announced that the United States would use all the American diplomacy at its disposal, including foreign aid, to promote gay rights around the world, according to The New York Times. In a memorandum issued by President Obama and in a speech by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the administration vowed to actively combat efforts by other nations to criminalize homosexual conduct, to abuse gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) people or to ignore abuse against them. Clinton, speaking at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, argued that gay rights are human rights and as such, they transcended national, political and culture boundaries. She acknowledged that the United States has much work to do within its own borders regarding LGBT equality. She also pointed out that “as long as LGBT people are kept in the shadows, there cannot be an effective public health program to tackle HIV and AIDS.”

To read the Times article, click here.

To watch Clinton’s speech, click here.