President Obama lands historic cover of ‘OUT’ magazine, named ‘Ally of the Year’
President Obama just made some more history.
Obama became the first sitting president to grace the cover of an LGBT publication. He was named OUT magazine’s “Ally of the Year.”
The president is listed in the magazine’s annual list of the 100 most influential people in the LGBT community.
“This is the first time a sitting president has been photographed for the cover of an LGBT title,” wrote editor-in-chief Aaron Hicklin, “a historic moment in itself, and a statement on how much his administration has done to advance a singularly volatile issue that tarnished the reputations of both President Clinton and President Bush.”
Hicklin also conducted an interview with Obama, who shared the importance of marriage equality as well as members of the LGBT community that have inspired him:
One of the reasons I got involved in politics was to help deliver on our promise that we’re all created equal, and that no one should be excluded from the American dream just because of who they are. That’s why, in the Senate, I supported repealing DOMA [the Defense of Marriage Act]. It’s why, when I ran for president the first time, I publicly asked for the support of the LGBT community, and promised that we could bring about real change for LGBT Americans.