President-elect Joe Biden Just hours after taking the oath of office, President Joe Biden signed 17 executive orders including one prohibiting LGBTQ discrimination in all federal agencies. The first paragraph of the executive order states, “All persons should receive equal treatment under the law, no matter their gender identity or sexual orientation.” The order instructs the head of each agency to “review all existing orders, regulations, guidance documents, policies, program or other agency actions” that prohibit sex discrimination to revise and amend such policies to include banning discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. The order cites the Supreme Court ruling for Bostock v. Clayton Countywhich was handed down on June 15, 2020. The 6-3 decision found that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects employees on the basis of their gender identity or sexual orientation because such animus is a form of “sex discrimination” which is clearly prohibited under the Civil Rights Act. In the seven months since the ruling, the Trump administration chose to not implement the ruling. That inaction was consistent with most of the Trump administration’s policies regarding LGBTQ rights and protections.
President Biden just issued an executive order protecting Americans against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity — a turning point in our fight for equality under the law. https://t.co/fSuxT8dF8w
Biden’s executive order is more expansive than just the Bostock ruling, however. The order notes that, under Bostock’s reasoning, “laws that prohibit sex discrimination — including Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Fair Housing Act, and section 412 of the Immigration and Nationality Act — prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation, so long as the laws do not contain sufficient indications to the contrary.” Biden also addresses how discrimination can often overlap with other forms of prohibited discrimination including animus based on the basis of race or disability. The language specifically notes that “transgender Black Americans face unconscionably high levels of workplace discrimination, homelessness, and violence, including fatal violence.”
These protections ensure people like Gerald Bostock, who took his case to the Supreme Court after being fired for expressing interest in an LGBTQ softball league, are able to work without fear of being fired because of who they are or whom they love. pic.twitter.com/YkFHLmQIPW
The executive order is a great start – especially seeing our new president addressing LGBTQ concerns on his first day on the job. But the order will have limitations in that some civil rights legislation doesn’t name sex as a protected class. That makes the passage of the Equality Act, which would expand all federal civil rights laws to include sexual orientation and gender identity protections. Biden has promised to sign the Equality Act, which would add LGBTQ protections to existing federal civil rights laws, into law within his first 100 days. But the impending second impeachment trial of Donald Trump may slow things down a bit. The Senate Judiciary committee, which would oversee the Equality Act bill, is the same committee now tasked with the impeachment proceedings. Additionally, Senate Democrats will need ten Republican colleagues to vote in favor of the bill since there’s the 60 vote threshold required to close debate and move to a vote. Jen Psaki, the new White House press secretary, told the Washington Blade that President Biden plans on issuing an executive order in the next few days that would reverse the Trump administration’s ban on military service by transgender Americans. Other executive orders signed Wednesday reversed Trump’s Muslim travel ban, stopped construction of the Mexico border wall, and rejoining the Paris climate agreement.
President Biden signs first three executive orders in the Oval Office including face mask mandate for federal properties and re-joining the Paris Climate Accord. pic.twitter.com/dtvYm61UF6
With President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration less than a week away, queer folks may wonder what LGBTQ promises he’ll be able to fulfill in the often-referenced ‘first 100 days.’
On a conference call with LGBTQ leaders prior to the holidays, Biden’s team repeated his intention to order the reversal of the transgender ban on military service on January 20, according to the Washington Blade.
The policy, initiated by President Trump via tweet in July 2017, could take up to a year to fully reverse.
But with cases of COVID-19 surging across the country and an unexpected second impeachment trial of Donald Trump, other legislative goals might take longer than previously thought.
The big ticket item for LGBTQ advocates is the passage of the Equality Act, which would add sexual orientation and gender identity as protected classes to the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The legislation would ban discrimination against LGBTQ people on a federal level.
I want every member of the LGBTQ+ community to know you are loved and accepted just as you are — whether you've come out or not. I'll fight every day in the White House to create a country where you can live open, proud, and free — without fear. #NationalComingOutDay
The bill was passed during the last session of Congress in the House, but Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell blocked the legislation from reaching the Senate floor for a vote.
Initially, Biden hoped to have the Equality Act signed into law within 100 days of taking office. And with the Democrats in control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, passage certainly looks more promising.
But the Senate Judiciary Committee, which would be tasked with handling the legislation, is the same committee that will now have to deal with the impending Trump impeachment trial. LGBTQ advocates told the Blade that, given the current circumstances, granting Biden some leeway would be understandable. “I think we’ve gotten the commitments that we expected and hoped for and sought from the Biden team and from legislative leadership, and what that means for us now is holding them accountable, but also understanding that the country, our democracy, and the ability of people to actually live is going to take priority,” one LGBTQ advocate told the Blade. Others, however, are not so easily assuaged. “The notion that our government can only focus on one thing at a time isn’t acceptable,” said another activist. “You can’t have the agenda and policy goals that Biden does and not have the process to move faster.” LGBTQ leaders will probably see the Equality Act brought up for a vote in at least one chamber of Congress as Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) had indicated she would bring the bill back to the floor during the first 100 days of the Biden administration. Once the Senate does turn its attention to the Equality Act, another hurdle will be finding at least 10 Republican Senators to support the bill. Sixty votes are required to overcome the legislative filibuster and move to a vote. Wrangling those votes isn’t an impossibility, but could take time. So far, the only moderate Republican senator to signal support has been Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME). But she might be having second thoughts as the Human Rights Campaign pulled their support for her reelection this fall and endorsed her opponent. Collins has been reported as somewhat bitter over the breakup. Aside from the trans military ban and the Equality Act, though, Biden will also be able to advance LGBTQ interests through executive orders. For instance, Biden could sign an executive order directing federal agencies to fully adopt the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County. That decision found anti-LGBTQ discrimination to be a form of sex discrimination and therefore illegal under existing civil rights law. One Democratic insider told the Blade that dozens of executive orders have already been drafted, although it’s not clear if the directive to implement the Bostock decision is among them at this point.
Let me be clear: LGBTQ+ rights are human rights — and “LGBT-free zones” have no place in the European Union or anywhere in the world. https://t.co/zc8YvSq6iN
Other LGBTQ campaign promises expected to be addressed in the early days of the new administration include issuing a presidential memorandum prioritizing support for LGBTQ human rights in the first week. Additionally, Biden promised “on his first day in office” to restore Obama-era guidance to the Department of Education ensuring transgender students having access to bathrooms, locker rooms and sports consistent with their gender identity. Biden is also expected to name in a White House LGBTQ liaison to help oversee LGBTQ initiatives in the early days of the administration, and as well as a State Department envoy for international LGBTQ rights. (source: Washington Blade)
(screen capture via Cadbury) Some news items you might have missed: • OUT: One half of the real-life gay couple in that Cadbury ad (above) clapped back at critics of the spot – “I’m sure there would be half as many complaints if it was two ‘beautiful’ cisgendered hetero-looking Caucasian women. Get your act together world: y’all are as hypocritical and uneducated and bizarre as Donald Trump.” • The Advocate: Hillsborough has become the first town in North Carolina to adopt LGBTQ-inclusive antidiscrimination protections since the state’s ban on doing so expired. • NowThis News: “Knock the crap out of ’em, would you? I promise you, I will pay for the legal fees” — Watch this report on how Donald Trump has been inciting violence from his supporters for years.
• LGBTQ Nation: An 18-year-old lesbian who says she has been kicked out of her home for being gay has outed her Trump-loving family members who participated in the violent altercation in D.C. last week. • New York Times: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has told associates that he believes Donald Trump committed impeachable offenses and that he is pleased that Democrats are moving to impeach him, believing that it will make it easier to purge him from the party, according to people familiar with his thinking. • NBC News: Michael Sherwin, the acting U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, and Steven D’Antuono, head of the FBI’s Washington field office, briefed reporters on the sprawling criminal investigation designed to catch those who took part in the violent Capitol insurrection last week. They said that the FBI had opened 160 case files, and that “this is only the beginning.”
BREAKING: DOJ says “we’re looking at significant felony cases tied to sedition and conspiracy,” charges that have prison terms of up to 20 years.
L-R Former President Barack Obama, Donald Trump When asked about the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark ruling that found LGBTQ people are protected by federal employment discrimination laws, Donald Trump told reporters, “I’ve read the decision, and some people were surprised. But they’ve ruled and we live with their decision. That’s what it’s all about. We live with the decision of the Supreme Court. Very powerful. Very powerful decision actually. But they have so ruled.”
That’s some enthusiasm, huh? You’ll recall during the 2016 presidential campaign, the Donald declared he would be a better friend to the LGBT community than Hillary Clinton. And, as we now know, that’s not turned out to be the case. Presumptive Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden was much more uplifting in his remarks, writing in part:
Today’s Supreme Court decision is a momentous step forward for our country. Before today, in more than half of states, LGBTQ+ people could get married one day and be fired from their job the next day under state law, simply because of who they are or who they love. This landmark 6–3 ruling affirms that LGBTQ+ Americans are entitled to equal rights under the law. This decision is another step in our march towards equality for all. And while we celebrate this victory today, we know that our work is not yet done. As President, I look forward to signing into law the Equality Act, protecting the civil rights of LGBTQ+ Americans, and championing equal rights for all Americans. Happy Pride!
Today’s decision is another step in our march toward equality for all. The Supreme Court has confirmed the simple but profoundly American idea that every human being should be treated with respect. But we’re not done. https://t.co/Bz4SMA9tgb
And, former President Barack Obama tweeted his response: “Today reminds us that progress might be slow. It might take decades. But no matter what things might look like today, it’s always possible. Happy Pride month, everybody.”
Today reminds us that progress might be slow. It might take decades. But no matter what things might look like today, it’s always possible. Happy Pride month, everybody. pic.twitter.com/ey7p2TgEEf
Some news items you might have missed: • SCOTUS: I’m still on cloud nine over today’s landmark ruling by the Supreme Court that current civil rights laws prohibit discriminating against LGBTQ people in the workplace. Read my post on the momentous ruling here. • Instinct Magazine: The Episcopal Diocese of Missouri now officially has a gay Black man in charge. The Rt. Rev. Deon K. Johnson, who is not only Black and gay but also a married Barbadian-immigrant and father of two children, was elected in a landslide of 115 votes out of 164. As the 11th bishop for the diocese, he represents 42 parishes in the Eastern half of Missouri. • Quibi: The new streaming app premieres its new program from ’60 Minutes’ titled, ‘60 in 6.’ Stories include features, investigations, and profiles in 6-10 minutes. In this episode, Wesley Lowery takes you to Minneapolis to go in-depth, in minutes. Download Quibi here and try it out for two weeks for free.
• Out Music: Heather Mae and Crys Matthews’s new single “6 Feet Apart” showcases the phenomenal talent of the award-winning Mae (who has been described as Stevie Nicks meets Sara Bareilles) and the unique fusion of Matthews’ Americana folk/jazz sound. In addition to the new single, the duo has announced their LGBTQ+ virtual Pride concert tour, “The Singing OUT Tour,” with dates scheduled throughout the month of June. The concerts will feature not only music but games and giveaways as well.
• CBS News: Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order on policing Tuesday that aims to accomplish three things — to incentivize police departments to use modernized best practices, to increase information sharing by tracking people who have “excessive” use-of-force complaints, and to address mental health, homelessness, and addiction. • Philadelphia Inquirer: A Philadelphia court supervisor has been fired after a video surfaced on Monday of him tearing down Black Lives Matter protest signs made by children at a South Philadelphia park.
According to reports, this is a Philadelphia city court supervisor tearing down childrens’ signs saying black lives matter. When the person recording says ‘black lives matter,’ the man responds, ‘Not to me.’ He’s apparently been fired by the city. pic.twitter.com/x3udrMbHNQ
For the second time, the City Council of Jacksonville, Florida, approved adding sexual orientation and gender identity to its non-discrimination ordinance. This is the second time the City Council has approved the legislative move. Back in 2017, when the amendments were initially approved by a vote of 12-6, the virulently anti-LGBTQ law group the Liberty Counsel filed a lawsuit to overturn the human rights protections. Because, of course, they did. Last month, the Liberty Counsel won its lawsuit in the First District Court of Appeals based on a ‘legislative technicality.’ The court didn’t rule on the issue of discrimination against LGBTQs in the areas of housing, employment or public accommodations. Instead, the victory came because the city didn’t follow a strict procedure that requires a period of public notification about the changes to the ordinance. When the amendments were announced, the city listed the 28 sections of the non-discrimination ordinance that would be amended and noted that the terms “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” would be added.
“The foregoing sections of the Ordinance Code are hereby amended as follows: wherever protected categories are listed, that sexual orientation and gender identity, as defined in Section 3 below, shall be added to the list.”
But according to state law, such changes require the re-publishing of the full text of the Ordinance Code with the new language inserted. The appellate court panel of judges voted 3-0 in favor of the Liberty Counsel’s argument. At the time, the Liberty Counsel’s Mat Staver gloated over the ruling writing, “The citizen plaintiffs were injured by the city’s deceptive practice in presenting the HRO for passage, and that this deceptive practice of not revealing the intent and scope of the law invalidates it.” And so, on Tuesday, the Jacksonville City Council essentially approved the exact same amendments to the Ordinance Code making sure to cross every ’T’ and dot every ‘I.’ Florida Politics reports the vote was treated as such a formality that no council members spoke on the bill before passage. In 2015, Jacksonville had one of the worst ratings on LGBTQ rights in a major city, according to the Human Rights Campaign, garnering a low 23 out of 100. Since adding the protections, the city now scores a 79 out of 100. In related news, the Republican National Committee has announced Jacksonville will host Donald Trump’s acceptance of his party’s nomination for reelection. It’s hard to overlook the irony that a city so dedicated to protecting LGBTQ citizens will now play host to a president who has repeatedly attacked that same community in so many ways including allowing adoption agencies to deny placement of children with gay couples, banning transgender people from serving in the military, opposing The Equality Act, and urging the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to reverse Obama-era policies of protecting LGBTQ people in the workplace. But the GOP, in an announcement so laughable it borders on parody, recently declared Trump has “taken unprecedented steps to protect the LGBTQ community.” Stop, stop – oh, my sides…ROTFL
(image via VisitJacksonville.com) For years, the city of Jacksonville, Florida, had a terrible track record when it came to LGBTQ rights in the city. In 2015, for example, the Human Rights Campaign rated Jacksonville a23 out of a possible 100 in terms of LGBTQ rights and protections. Since the city expanded its Human Rights Ordinance (HRO) to include sexual orientation and gender identity in early 2017, the HRC rating has improved to 79 out of 100. But now, Florida’s 1st District Court of Appeal has sided with a handful of anti-LGBTQ activists that want to see the HRO reversed on a technicality. Florida Politics reports that the appellate court ruled unanimously 3-0 that the lawsuit filed by virulently anti-LGBTQ law group Liberty Counsel should be allowed to move forward after being dismissed twice by lower courts. Jason Gabriel, the city’s head lawyer in the office of General Counsel, called the decision a “mindboggling” and “bizarre” appeals court ruling against the local LGBTQ protections and vowed to fight to defend the law. “It’s a hyper-technical ruling with some bizarre findings,” said Gabriel. The decision from the three-judge panel mainly hinged on how language was presented in the initial public notices about how the existing HRO would be amended. When the amendments were being considered in 2017, the sections of the local Ordinance Code that would be affected were listed and then followed with instructions to add sexual orientation and gender identity to those sections.
“Section 2. Amending Sections 60.105, 400.101, 400.301, 402.102, 402.107(g)(1), 402.107(g)(3), 402.201, 402.202, 402.203, 402.204, 402.206, 402.210, 402.211, 406.102, 406.104(g)(1), 406.104(g)(3), 406.201, 408.102, 408.204, 408.401, 408.402, 408.403, 408.404, 408.406, and 408.407, Ordinance Code.” “The foregoing sections of the Ordinance Code are hereby amended as follows: wherever protected categories are listed, that sexual orientation and gender identity, as defined in Section 3 below, shall be added to the list.”
The amendments also added specific definitions for “sexual orientation” and “gender identity.” Sounds pretty straight forward, yes? Everyone concerned understood what and how the changes were to the HRO. But the Liberty Counsel held that all 25 sections of the Ordinance Code that were affected by the amendments should have been written out in full text showing the insertion of the new language. The appellate court agreed on that very narrow legal view saying the process “violated governing principles of notice and due process.” And so, the Liberty Counsel won its reversal on previous rulings and is now allowed to further proceedings in trying to overturn the LGBTQ protections. Mat Staver of the anti-LGBTQ Liberty Counsel In a press release, the Liberty Counsel’s Mat Staver gloated over the ruling writing, “The citizen plaintiffs were injured by the city’s deceptive practice in presenting the HRO for passage, and that this deceptive practice of not revealing the intent and scope of the law invalidates it.” Gabriel disagreed with the appeals court telling Florida Politics that “full text of the rules … was set forth for the Council and the public, both before or after enactment, and was immediately officially published after enactment.” One solution to the issue, according to incoming City Council President Tommy Hazouri, who sponsored the 2017 legislation, is to simply pass the law again. Since the bill passed in 2017 (by a vote of 12-6), the membership of the City Council has not changed. The city is also considering appealing this new ruling to the (currently conservative) Florida Supreme Court. LGBTQ blogger JoeMyGod notes that the Liberty Counsel has been trying to repeal Jacksonville’s LGBTQ protections since they were passed in early 2017.
Even as the coronavirus pandemic is disrupting lives around the world, pro-LGBTQ legislation is progressing in legislative chambers across the U.S. Virginia’s Gov. Ralph Northam signed the Virginia Values Act into law on Saturday. The legislation, which adds sexual orientation and gender identity to the commonwealth’s existing nondiscrimination laws, makes Virginia the first in the South to pass such protections. The General Assembly approved the bill earlier this year after gaining control of the chamber in November. Although the legislation had passed in the state Senate several times in the past, Republicans had successfully blocked the measure in the Assembly for years. When Virginia Values Act goes into effect on July 1, Virginia will join 20 other states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico in explicitly banning discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation in public employment, housing, and credit.
Today, I signed the Virginia Values Act, making Virginia the first Southern state to enact comprehensive non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people––and sending a strong, clear message that this is an inclusive Commonwealth where all are welcome.https://t.co/2ppfc627lA
In Florida, the City Commission of Tallahassee unanimously passed an ordinance protecting LGBTQ youth and vulnerable adults from so-called ‘conversion therapy’ this week. The Trevor Project’s 2019 National Survey on LGBTQ Mental Health showedLGBTQ youth who had undergone the harmful practice were twice as likely to attempt suicide than those who had not. Forty-two percent of LGBTQ young people who had been subjected to the conversion therapy reported a suicide attempt in the previous 12 months. The reported suicide attempts in the previous year jumped to 57 percent among transgender and non-binary youth forced to undergo ex-gay therapy. States banning conversion therapy (via Movement Advancement Project) Currently, 20 states and the District of Columbia have banned the practice as well as at least sixty cities and counties in Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Washington, and Wisconsin. Sam Brinton, Head of Advocacy and Government Affairs for The Trevor Project, issued a statement applauding the Tallahassee City Commission for taking action to protect young LGBTQs from the harmful pseudo-science. “This conduct has been discredited by prominent medical associations and proven to be dangerous,” wrote Brinton. “According to The Trevor Project’s 2019 national survey, LGBTQ youth who had undergone conversion therapy were more than twice as likely to attempt suicide as those who did not. This new ordinance will send a message to the LGBTQ youth of Tallahassee that they should be proud of who they are, and hopefully, it will inspire other localities in Florida to take similar action as well.” Scott McCoy, a spokesman for the Southern Poverty Law Center, also cheered the ban, writing: “We applaud the Tallahassee city commissioners for unanimously enacting an ordinance to ban conversion therapy for minors, but also going even further to ensure the protection of vulnerable adults. This bogus practice is premised on the lie that LGBTQ+ individuals have a ‘condition’ that needs to be cured by changing an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity. “Taking a stand against conversion therapy is an extremely important step in the right direction to support the well-being of Tallahassee’s LGBTQ+ residents. But the commission has also sent an important message to LGBTQ+ youth: you are perfect the way you are and do not need to be fixed. “We urge the rest of Florida to follow the example set by Tallahassee, and pledge to protect our youth from this heinous practice.” (source: Washington Blade)
Former Vice President Joe Biden (image viaInstagram) Former Vice President Joe Biden has released a lengthy, comprehensive plan to advance LGBTQ equality if elected president. “Joe Biden believes that every human being should be treated with respect and dignity and be able to live without fear no matter who they are or who they love,” begins the detailed, 17-page plan. That’s followed by a long list of policies and executive actions Biden promises to advance from the Oval Office. Biden pledges to make passage of The Equality Act during his first 100 days as President a top priority. He’ll also take action using his executive authority to reverse the discriminatory actions of the Trump-Pence administration.
For all the hard-won progress we’ve made in the fight for LGBTQ+ equality, we’re not done — not nearly. That’s why I just released my plan to advance LGBTQ+ equality in America and around the world: https://t.co/RSlFCrVlrZpic.twitter.com/8GJxnx5h8f
— Joe Biden (Text Join to 30330) (@JoeBiden) March 6, 2020
As in the Obama administration, he will reaffirm that the Civil Rights Act’s Title VII prohibition against employment discrimination based on sex applies to discrimination based on gender identity. Biden’s plan includes reversing the transgender military ban, ending the Trump administration’s policy of discharging military service members with HIV, and work to support the unique needs of LGBTQ veterans. Biden will repeal the Trump/Pence policy that allows adoption and foster care agencies receiving federal funds to discriminate against LGBTQ families and work to ensure those child welfare agencies put the interests of children first, including those who are LGBTQ. In addition, Biden will work with the U.S. Department of State and other federal agencies to ensure the equal treatment of same-sex couples and their children in the application of all federal programs, services, and benefits—especially with respect to citizenship eligibility requirements and immigration and naturalization proceedings. Noting that there are approximately 3 million LGBTQ people in the United States older than age 50, Biden promises to champion passage of the Ruthie and Connie LGBT Elder Americans Act to ensure non-discriminatory treatment of LGBTQ older Americans. Transgender and non-binary people often experience violence and harassment without identification documents that accurately reflect their gender identity. Biden will support state and federal efforts to provide every transgender or non-binary person the option of changing their gender marker to “M,” “F,” or “X” on government identifications, passports, and other documentation.
We must end this epidemic of violence against the transgender community — especially trans women of color. It’s up to all of us to stand up and give hate no safe harbor.
Biden promises to work with the Food and Drug Administration to ensure regulations on blood donations by LGBTQ people are “based on science, not fiction or stigma.” In regard to LGBTQ youth, Biden will reinstate Obama-era guidance to allow transgender students access to bathrooms and locker rooms in accordance with their gender identity, work to enact the Tyler Clementi Higher Education Anti-Harassment Act and the Safe Schools Act. He will also seek to end suicide among LGBTQ youth and address homelessness among those young people. Also part of the plan are proposals for combating violence against trans women of color, strengthening the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, supporting LGBTQ survivors of violence, guaranteeing the Affordable Care Act’s nondiscrimination protections, ensuring fair treatment of LGBTQ people in the criminal justice system, and more. The document also includes a list of Biden’s record on LGBTQ rights over the years. From supporting the right to marry in a historic “Meet the Press” interview in 2012; leading the fight to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell; participating in the “It Gets Better” campaign in 2010 to support LGBTQ youth; and being an original co-sponsor for the Employment Non-Discrimination Act to prohibit bias based on sexual orientation in employment. There are many more details and policies listed in the Biden plan. Read the full document by clicking over to his official campaign site here. Sen. Bernie Sanders has also put forth his own list of policies regarding LGBTQ rights and protections, although not as lengthy or detailed. You can find Sanders’s plan on his website here.
Gov. Andy Beshear of Kentucky (screen capture) Governor Andy Beshear became the first Kentucky governor to attend the annual LGBTQ Fairness Rally on Wednesday. The Democrat defeated virulently anti-LGBTQ Republican incumbent Matt Bevin in November. Amid rainbow flags and loud cheers from the crowd, Beshear told attendees, “Diversity and inclusion, they aren’t buzz words – they are values.” “And they are keys to making Kentucky stronger,” continued Beshear. “Kentucky cannot reach its full potential if all of our people don’t feel supported to be themselves.” Speaking in the Rotunda at the State Capitol in Frankfort, the governor also spoke in support of two legislative proposals vital to LGBTQ Kentuckians, reports the Lexington Herald-Leader. One, a ‘statewide fairness’ measure that would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, housing and public accommodations. “Discrimination against our LGBTQ brothers and sisters is absolutely unacceptable in this commonwealth,” said Beshear.
While 18 communities in Kentucky have ‘fairness ordinances,’ there are no statewide protections for LGBTQ people in the Bluegrass state. He also endorsed a legislative ban on so-called ‘conversion therapy,’ the harmful practice of attempting to change someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Also known as ‘ex-gay therapy,’ the pseudo-science has been denounced by nearly all major medical organizations including the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics. Chris Hartman, executive director of the Fairness Campaign, called Beshear’s appearance politically courageous, reports the local ABC News affiliate 6News. “To have support in the highest office in the commonwealth of Kentucky is so meaningful for so many LGBTQ people who have never felt seen by lawmakers who can make a difference,” said Hartman. When asked about his historic appearance at the event, Beshear dismissed the question saying, “I think it took too long. Under this administration, every single Kentuckian counts.” (Source: Lexington Herald-Leader)
