President Obama has issued a proclamation honoring "Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered Pride Month 2009."

Gay pride month is observed every June to commemorate the "Stonewall riots," an uprising that took place in 1969 when police tried to arrest gay patrons at the Stonewall Inn in New York City. The bar is shown here on the 25th anniversary of those events -- widely viewed as the beginning of the modern gay rights movement.

Brad Luna of the Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest gay rights organization, says Obama's proclamation is not a first: President Bill Clinton regularly recognized gay pride month during his second term in office. Luna says Obama is right in claiming that he has tapped more openly gay nominees for high profile posts early in his administration than any previous president.

Here are a few excerpts from the president's proclamation:

"LGBT Americans have made, and continue to make, great and lasting contributions that continue to strengthen the fabric of American society. There are many well-respected LGBT leaders in all professional fields, including the arts and business communities. LGBT Americans also mobilized the Nation to respond to the domestic HIV/AIDS epidemic and have played a vital role in broadening this country's response to the HIV pandemic.

Due in no small part to the determination and dedication of the LGBT rights movement, more LGBT Americans are living their lives openly today than ever before. I am proud to be the first President to appoint openly LGBT candidates to Senate-confirmed positions in the first 100 days of an Administration."

(Posted by Kathy Kiely)