SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY CLINTON (1947–)

 

At the Beijing Women’s Conference in 1995, Hillary Clinton inspired the world when she announced unequivocally: “Human rights are women’s rights and women’s rights are human rights.” Until then, gender had been seen as a marginal offshoot of human rights concerns; Clinton redefined human rights to include women. More than fifteen years later, as secretary of state, Clinton once again redefined human rights in her Human Rights Day remarks to a UN audience in Switzerland. While the speech doesn’t directly discuss marriage equality, she calls persuasively for full human rights for gay people. Since access to love, family, and commitment is more than a human right, it’s a need—and one that makes us most human—her words poignantly convey the morality of marriage equality.