Clinton op-ed – the first time major-party candidate has written for an LGBT newspaper

by Rob Howard
Associate Editor

LGBTQ rights made the editorial pages of two papers this week, as Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton wrote an op-ed for Philadelphia Gay News(PGN), and HRC President Chad Griffin wrote an op-ed for USA Today.

Clinton’s op-ed is, “the first time a major-party presidential candidate has written an op-ed for an LGBT newspaper,” said PGN.

Clinton opened her column by referring to one of the first ever LGBT demonstrations, at Independence Hall, over 50 years ago, saying, “They did this to show their fellow Philadelphians that the LGBT community lacked fundamental civil rights.

“In the decades since those protests, our country has come a long way. Marriage equality is the law of the land. This year, the last state law prohibiting same-sex couples from adopting was finally struck down. And President Obama signed an executive order protecting federal workers from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. We should celebrate that progress.

“But the simple truth is that even now, in 2016, there are still too many states in America where LGBT people can be fired or evicted from their home because of who they are or who they love. Pennsylvania is one of them. Here, you can get married on Sunday and fired on Monday, just for being gay or transgender.

“That goes against everything we stand for as a country.”

She noted that VP candidate Mike Pence is one of the most anti-LGBT public officials in America, and that Donald Trump has said he would overturn marriage equality.

She continued, saying, “If I’m fortunate enough to be elected president, I’ll protect the progress we’ve fought so hard to achieve — and I’ll keep fighting until every American can live free from discrimination and prejudice.”

Clinton was a sponsor of the Equality Act, which has yet to pass Congress. She said of her promise to keep fighting for LGBTQ Americans, “That means working to pass the Equality Act. It would finally provide LGBT people full federal nondiscrimination protections in housing, employment and so much more. I know that differences of opinion on LGBT equality still exist in the hearts of some Americans, but they should not exist under our laws. As president, I’ll be your partner in bringing about the vision of the inclusive nation that advocates, activists and allies have been seeking for decades.

“I also believe we must address the ongoing issue of violence against the LGBT community. LGBT people are now more likely than any other group to be the target of a hate crime. America saw the effects of hate in Orlando, with the attack on the Pulse nightclub — the deadliest mass shooting by a single person in our history. The danger is compounded for LGBT people of color, who face intersectional pressures and dangers, particularly transgender people of color. Last year, more than 20 transgender women were killed in America. Recently, three were murdered right here in Philadelphia.”

Clinton also called for an end to violence against LGBTQ people, and to continue the fight for an AIDS-free generation.

She concluded saying, “As First Lady and Senator, I fought to significantly expand funding for AIDS research. As Secretary of State, I changed the rules so that State Department employees in same-sex relationships were treated the same as their colleagues and so that transgender Americans could obtain passports that reflected their true gender identity. So these fights aren’t new to me.

“And as president, I’ll keep fighting for LGBT rights, because — as I told the world in one of the most important speeches I gave as Secretary — they are human rights. And I won’t quit until all our laws reflect that basic reality.”

Griffin, in his USA Today piece, said that Pence must answer for his abysmal LGBTQ record. He reminded readers of the anti-LGBTQ religious freedom bill passed in Indiana and signed by Pence, and said, “Pence has never left any question about his views on gay rights. When he was in Congress, he said allowing same-sex couples to marry could bring about ‘societal collapse,’ and he supported a constitutional amendment that would have banned marriage equality. He also voted against basic non-discrimination protection for workers, which he said, ''wages war on freedom of religion in the workplace.'”

He commented on the lack of any discussion about LGBTQ rights in the debates so far, saying, “Yet watching Tuesday night’s one and only vice presidential debate, you never would have known that Pence built his political career in this manner. In a debate that lasted 90 minutes, Pence was never once asked by the moderator about this defining part of his record — one that's out of step with the 7 in 10 Americans, including large majorities of Republicans and Indiana residents, who believe LGBTQ people deserve full equality under the law.”

Griffin then stressed the importance to LGBTQ rights of electing Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine: “Faith and values have led Clinton and Kaine to much more inclusive views on LGBTQ equality.” He also reiterated, as Secretary Clinton did in her PGN article, “As secretary of State, Clinton declared before the international community that ‘gay rights are human rights,’ and in the Senate, she was an original cosponsor of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. As governor, Kaine protected Virginia state workers from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.”

To read Clinton’s PGN op-ed, click here. The read Griffin’s USA Todaypiece, click here.

Copyright 2016 The Gayly – October 7, 2016 @ 3:45 p.m.