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U.S. President Barack Obama, during his keynote address Saturday night at the annual dinner of a leading gay rights group, stressed that despite recent gay rights' victories, there is more progress to be made.

Obama said that many people at the Human Rights Campaign's dinner have devoted their lives to equality, but he stressed that there is “more work ahead of us.”

The Washington event comes less than two weeks after the U.S. military ended its ban on openly gay service members.

President Obama signed legislation to repeal the policy known as “Don't ask, Don't tell,” in December.

Mr. Obama said there are gay U.S. military members serving all around the world, and “the only difference is, now they can put up a family photo,”

The president has not endorsed same-sex marriage, which remains a key issue for the gay community.

Mr. Obama has said he supports civil unions, and calls his views “evolving.”

This was the president's second time speaking at the Human Rights Campaign's annual dinner. He also was keynote speaker in 2009.

A number of U.S. jurisdictions have passed legislation legalizing same-sex marriage. New York became the most recent in June, joining Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Iowa and the District of Columbia.