President-elect Barack Obama posted his eight-point plan for LGBT civil rights on his transition website, reaffirming his commitment to improving gay rights.

The pledge calls for repeals of the federal Defense of Marriage Act and Don't Ask Don't Tell, and for the passage of a gender-inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act and the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Act. It also reiterates his support for equal adoption rights and improving efforts to combat HIV/AIDS, and his opposition to any attempt to amend the Constitution to federally ban gay marriage.

Obama was a co-sponsor of the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Act, which was passed by the House last year, but stripped when it went to conference. The bill would ensure that sexual orientation is covered under federal hate crime law, as it currently is not. His website mentions that in the past, LGBT people have reported the third-highest number of hate crimes.

The Employment Non-Discrimination Act came under scrutiny earlier this year because in its current state it does not include protection for transgender Americans. Passing ENDA would make discrimination based on sexuality in the workplace illegal. Obama's inclusive stance asserts that gender identity will be included when the bill is taken to Congress again. His site states, "While an increasing number of employers have extended benefits to their employees' domestic partners, discrimination based on sexual orientation in the workplace occurs with no federal remedy."

On Don't Ask Don't Tell, which is responsible for the dismissal of over 12,000 servicemen and women since its inception fifteen years ago, the Obama site reads, "The key test for military service should be patriotism, a sense of duty, and a willingness to serve. Discrimination should be prohibited."

Finally, Obama has said many times that he supports strong civil unions, but not gay marriage. His campaign pledge is congruent, reading, "We need to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and enact legislation that would ensure that the 1,100+ federal legal rights and benefits currently provided on the basis of marital status are extended to same-sex couples in civil unions and other legally-recognized unions. These rights and benefits include the right to assist a loved one in times of emergency, the right to equal health insurance and other employment benefits, and property rights."