“We’ve got a lot of hard work we’ve still got to do,” US President Obama has told a gathering of key LGBT movers-and-shakers at a White House reception to mark Pride Month.

Yesterday’s event in the White House East Room had embattled 18-year-old Mississippi student Constance McMillen in attendance as a guest of honour. She’s backing a Bill being introduced by her local Democratic Senator which would ban public schools from excluding gay and lesbian students from activities.

“It won’t be long – it’s a matter of time before LGBT people have equal rights,” she told Mississppi’s Clarion-Ledger. “Maybe one day we can have a gay president!”

Promises, promises…

“I was going to say ‘welcome to the White House’, but you guys seem like you feel right at home,” Obama, whose administration employs dozens of out LGBT staffers, joked at the Pride Month function.

The President promised he’d keep pushing for action on the issues important to LGBT Americans. The repeal of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy on gays in the military is one of them, and advancing benefits for same-sex partners – including health care and retirement plans – is another.

As for the gay marriage debate: “I have called on Congress to repeal the so-called Defence of Marriage Act,” the Pres said, and the crowd cheered.

See Obama’s full speech at the White House’s Pride Month event below.