By now you’ve likely watched (or heard about) the ABC News interview with President Obama in which he affirmed his support for family equality and the freedom to marry of same-sex couples.

The President gave us new momentum for passing the Respective for Marriage Act and dumping DOMA. Representative Jerrold Nadler (D-NY08), the bill’s sponsor:

By now you’ve likely watched (or heard about) the ABC News interview with President Obama in which he affirmed his support for the freedom to marry of same-sex couples.

The President said that his daughters, and their friends with same-sex couples as parents, helped his views to evolve. The President also said:

Last night, the tide went out. North Carolinians voted 61% to 39% in favor of an anti-gay constitutional amendment that not only deals another blow to gay and lesbian couples in the state, who are already prohibited by law from marrying, but also endangers protections for all unmarried couples, including domestic violence protections and health insurance coverage.

Just hours ago, the tide came in. President Barack Obama affirmed his support for the freedom to marry of same-sex couples.

In October and December of 2010, the Department of Education took a stand for LGBT youth by issuing guidance to address bullying in schools, especially as it relates to federal education anti-discrimination laws. One of those laws, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX), prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex. While the language does not specify sexual orientation and gender identity, the Department has made clear that harassment on these grounds, under certain circumstances, violates Title IX.

Last month brought a similar ruling from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, establishing that gender identity employment discrimination violates sex discrimination protections under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, thus allowing the complaint filed by Mia Macy to proceed.

UPDATE: Also last month, the Harlan County case brought the first convictions under the sexual orientation provision of the federal hate crime law. Mable Ashley Jenkins, 19, and Alexis LeeAnn Jenkins, 19, plead guilty to aiding and abetting both kidnapping and a hate crime assault for having tricked Kevin Pennington into getting into a truck with the two other defendants currently under indictment. Click here and here for more information from the Department of Justice.

Back in February, Attorney General Eric Holder announced that the Department of Justice would not act in McLaughlin v. Panetta to defend, in the military context, the federal-recognition component of the Defense of Marriage Act.

Back in March, PFAW and AAMIA joined 70 national and state organizations in calling on President Obama to publicly support and endorse the Student Non-Discrimination Act.

We view an endorsement of the Student Non-Discrimination Act as the next important step the administration should take in the ongoing federal effort to ensure that all students have access to an education unhindered by discrimination and harassment.

He listened.

David and Tina Long wanted answers following their son’s 2009 suicide so they held a townhall meeting to address the bullying suffered by Tyler and his classmates. Though well-attended by parents, students, and community leaders alike, Bully highlights a troubling absence – school officials. It’s a sign that climate change is needed.

You see, bullying is an environmental problem. As director Lee Hirsch puts it:

It’s the whole ecosystem of the schools.

October 28, 2009 marked a historic step forward in the fight for equality. With the signing of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, President Obama sent loud and clear the message that freedom from violence is a right all Americans should enjoy.

In an ideal world, the law would never be used. But we know that there are victims who need protections based on sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, and disability. And today, the first-ever indictment was handed down for a violation of the sexual orientation provision of the statute.

The R rating felt ridiculous. It was like R for Ridiculous.

That was what director Lee Hirsch had to say at last night’s Bully screening in DC regarding the ratings controversy that ended last week when an editing agreement was reached to get a PG-13 rating. (Shout out to Katy Butler for her successful Change.org petition that attracted more than 500,000 signers, including 35 Members of Congress and celebrities like Ellen DeGeneres and Meryl Streep.)

Hirsch is right. Rules are rules, but in this case, the R rating would have severely limited Bully's audience. These aren’t the “f” words that fly freely in other films. This is reality. This is what kids in schools are really saying to each other.

Indeed, Bully is a movie that should be shown as widely as possible. To teachers, administrators, and other school personnel. To the parents who are trying to get through to their children. To the kids who are bullied, the ones who do the bullying, and the adults who endure one or both scenarios and carry it with them for the rest of their lives.