Through Seneca Falls, and Selma, and Stonewall: Barack Obama, the Gay Rights Movement, and the Formative Relationship Between Presidents and Social Activists

ABSTRACT Organized groups frequently appeal to the president of the United States for support of their policy agenda. However, even if presidents are broadly supportive of the groups in question, they may not always be able or willing to meet their demands. Social movements, in particular, which seek change that presidents might view as a threat to their existing party coalition and public support, face imposing challenges in forming partnerships with the White House. How can social movements pressure the president to support their objectives? We explore the relationship between presidents and social movements through a historical case study of the interactions between President Barack Obama and the LGBT movement during Obama's first term in office. While Obama was broadly supportive of gay rights, the relationship between the White House and social activists during his first term in office was often rocky. On the basis of in‐depth interviews with LGBT activists, White House officials, and Democratic politicians, we show how gay rights activists, with critical support from Democratic party leaders, won the White House's support on issues such as the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell and same‐sex marriage by pressuring Obama publicly while simultaneously providing the administration with data and guidance in private. We conclude that the relationship between presidents, parties, and social movements, while highly contentious, is a critical dimension of contemporary partisanship.