The 2012 Democratic Convention (DNC) hosted the largest number of LGBT delegates in history, 486 up from 288 at the DNC in ’08. This included the largest number of transgender delegates ever. For the first time in history, the platform of the Democratic Party includes a commitment to the full equality of LGBT people and their families.

Elizabeth Chan describes this historic moment at Democrats.org:

The Democratic Party will make history today, as delegates are preparing to vote to approve a party platform that includes marriage equality and equal treatment under the law for same-sex couples.

Jan, an LGBT delegate from Michigan, says the 2012 platform is something she never expected to see: “When I first heard about it, I started crying. I couldn’t believe it. I’m going to be 60 years old soon, and I didn’t think that I was ever going to see it in my lifetime. It’s so exciting.”

Today’s meeting of the Democratic Party’s LGBT caucus was historic in other regards: The standing-room only crowd hosted a record number of LBGT delegates as well as a record number of transgender delegates. Every state in the nation was represented in the caucus, a far cry from the days when the caucus was getting off the ground with a small number of people.

The platform includes a commitment to the full equality of LGBT people under the section “Protecting Rights and Freedoms.”

President Obama and the Democratic Party are committed to ensuring all Americans are treated fairly. This administration hosted the first-ever White House Conference on Bullying Prevention and we must continue our work to prevent vicious bullying of young people and support LGBT youth. The President’s record, from ending “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” in full cooperation with our military leadership, to passing the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, to ensuring same-sex couples can visit each other in the hospital, reflects Democrats’ belief that all Americans deserve the same chance to pursue happiness, earn a living, be safe in their communities, serve their country, and take care of the ones they love. The Administration has said that the word ‘family’ in immigration includes LGBT relationships in order to protect bi-national families threatened with deportation…

Freedom to Marry. We support the right of all families to have equal respect, responsibilities, and protections under the law. We support marriage equality and support the movement to secure equal treatment under law for same-sex couples. We also support the freedom of churches and religious entities to decide how to administer marriage as a religious sacrament without government interference.

We oppose discriminatory federal and state constitutional amendments and other attempts to deny equal protection of the laws to committed same-sex couples who seek the same respect and responsibilities as other married couples. We support the full repeal of the so-called Defense of Marriage Act and the passage of the Respect for Marriage Act.

Watch LGBT Highlights from the DNC

This video from the Human Rights Campaign brings together all the moments of LGBT welcome at the DNC.