Barack Obama had a heckler thrown out of a gay pride reception at the White House on Wednesday evening, telling her “shame on you” for interrupting him. Jennicet Gutiérrez, a transgender woman, disrupted the US president’s speech by shouting , saying his administration should release lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender immigrants from detention.

“President Obama, stop the torture and abuse of trans women in detention centres,” cried Gutiérrez, one of the founders of the Familia: Trans Queer Liberation Movement, who is supported by the LGBT advocacy group GetEqual.

Obama, who was giving a speech about civil rights for lesbian, gay and transsexual Americans, responded by shaking his head, wagging his finger, and repeatedly saying no. Then, pointing to Gutiérrez, he said: “Hey. Listen. You’re in my house … You know what? It’s not respectful when you get invited to somebody’s …”

Before asking security guards to escort Gutiérrez outside, he said: “You’re not going to get a good response from me by interrupting me like this. I’m sorry. I’m sorry … Shame on you, you shouldn’t be doing this.”

Gutiérrez has said she is an undocumented immigrant. Campaigners have expressed alarm at the conditions transgender people face in immigration detention following reports of sexual assault and a lack of medical care.

Familia said that as a transgender woman who was undocumented in the US, Gutiérrez felt she could not celebrate Gay Pride Month while 75 transgender detainees were still being exposed to assault and abuse. The group said she went to the US from Mexico, seeking safety and economic opportunities.



After the incident Gutiérrez said: “There is no pride in how LGBTQ and transgender immigrants are treated in this country. If the president wants to celebrate with us, he should release the LGBTQ immigrants locked up in detention centres immediately.” LGBTQ stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (or queer).

In his address, Obama said that regardless of how the supreme court would rule on same-sex marriage, there had been an undeniable shift in attitudes across the country. He said he was watching for the court’s decisions in the coming days, including one concerning a case that could affirm the right of same-sex couples nationwide to marry. The president singled out discrimination against transgender Americans as an area where more progress was needed.