On Monday, January 9, 2012, Pope Benedict delivered a speech to the diplomatic corps of representatives to the Holy See (the Vatican), describing gay marriage as a threat to "the future of humanity itself."

This declaration was made to, amongst others, the Ambassador of the United States to the Holy See, Ambassador Miguel Díaz, and comes scarcely one month after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stood before the United Nations and declared on behalf of the Government of the United States that the "Obama Administration defends the human rights of LGBT people as part of our comprehensive human rights policy and as a priority of our foreign policy."

We call upon the U.S. Department of State to demonstrate to LGBT Americans, to the Vatican the serious commitment of the United States to the defense of LGBT rights by withdrawing Ambassador Díaz in protest.