JAMAICA: Obama Champions LGBT Rights At Town Hall With Youth Leaders

The Human Rights Campaign applauds in a press release posted last night:

Earlier today, President Obama met with LGBT advocates in Jamaica, a country that still criminalizes same-sex relationships. Following the meeting, US National Security Advisor Susan Rice tweeted, “Anti-LGBT discrimination and violence is unacceptable everywhere. This is US policy globally, as we discussed here in Jamaica today.”

President Obama was in Jamaica to meet with Caribbean government leaders. As part of the trip, the President participated in a town hall meeting with “young leaders.” During his opening remarks, he acknowledged Angeline Jackson, the executive director of Quality of Citizenship Jamaica, the only organization in Jamaica dedicated to the needs of lesbian and bisexual women, for her bravery and advocacy. Dane Lewis, the executive director of J-FLAG, a Jamaican LGBT organization, was also in attendance.

“We commend the President for including LGBT advocates in his meetings in Jamaica,” said Ty Cobb, director of HRC Global. “By including them in his visit to Jamaica, he honored their brave work and demonstrated our country’s commitment to standing up for the human rights of all people.”