On October 8, 2009, Obama signed the
Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, a measure that expanded the
1969 United States federal hate-crime law to include crimes motivated by a victim's actual or perceived gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability. On October 30, 2009, Obama lifted the ban on travel to the United States by those infected with HIV. The lifting of the ban was celebrated by
Immigration Equality. On December 22, 2010, Obama signed the
Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010, which fulfilled a promise made in the 2008 presidential campaign to end the
don't ask, don't tell policy of 1993 that had prevented gay and lesbian people from serving openly in the
United States Armed Forces. In 2016, the Pentagon ended the policy that barred
transgender people from serving openly in the military.