“I’m hoping for the best (from Obama) and expecting the worst, as one must do with any politician, and indeed with life.”

“Obama has the opportunity to give new expression to the United States’ founding ideals of liberty, justice and equality by defending human rights – including the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people, in the U.S. and worldwide. Whether he will seize this opportunity and bring real change is unclear. I live in hope. … I doubt we will see an end to the ban on same-sex marriage, but the military’s ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy could well be shelved. Another possibility is Obama’s endorsement of laws to protect LGBTI people against discrimination in employment, housing, education … and the provision of goods and services.”

“I am hopeful – and also watchful. I want President Obama to lead us all to a more inclusive and just America and to inspire the nation to live up to its highest ideals. He can restore balance to the courts and be the spark that re-ignites the fire for civil rights in our country. And there is a clear list of goals – things that we need and have been waiting for long enough: passage of an inclusive ENDA and hate crimes laws; repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ and DOMA; fair policies for people living with HIV. But I know that a leader – even one as powerful as the president of the United States – has no magic power. The power of a leader comes from people demanding change and standing up when he becomes a voice pressing for it. We’ll be there making those demands. That’s what each member of our community needs to do as well.”