This election year, everything we’ve fought for is on the line. We have seen so much progress for the LGBTQ community under the leadership of President Barack Obama, and it all could be reversed by a Donald Trump presidency. Trump has attacked, belittled and maligned anyone and everyone he considers different.
Hillary Clinton, on the other hand, has made LGBTQ equality a cornerstone of her campaign, proving herself a champion for LGBTQ rights both at home and abroad. From military inclusion, to advocating for inclusive non-discrimination policies, to supporting transgender youth, to combating violence, it is clear that Hillary Clinton stands on the right side of history with HRC.
Here’s where the candidates stand on marriage equality:
Donald Trump has been a consistent opponent of marriage equality. He said that he opposed it because he was a “traditional” guy, choosing to support domestic partnership benefits instead. Trump later reversed himself and said he also opposed civil unions. Despite a brief flirtation with “evolving” in 2013, Trump has consistently maintained his opposition to marriage equality, sometimes by citing polling and making an analogy to his dislike of long golf putters. After the Supreme Court ruling, Trump said the court had made its decision and, although he disagreed with the ruling, he did not support a constitutional amendment that would allow states to re-ban marriage equality. He later said he would appoint Supreme Court judges who would be committed to overturning the ruling.
In 2013, Hillary Clinton announced her support for marriage equality in an exclusive video for the Human Rights Campaign.
“LGBT Americans are our colleagues, our teachers, our soldiers, our friends, our loved ones – and they are full and equal citizens, and deserve the rights of citizenship. That includes marriage,” Clinton said in the video. “That’s why I support marriage for lesbian and gay couples. I support it personally and as a matter of policy and law, embedded in a broader effort to advance equality and opportunity for LGBT Americans and for all Americans. […] To deny the opportunity to any of our daughters and sons solely on the basis of who they are and who they love is to deny them the chance to live up to their God given potential.” – Hillary Clinton
In 2004 and again in 2006, then-Senator Clinton voted against the discriminatory Federal Marriage Amendment. The following year, in response to California’s decision overturning Proposition 8, Clinton said LGBTQ couples should have the “same rights and responsibilities as all Americans.”
Hillary Clinton understands what is at stake in this election and has made it clear she is committed to appointing justices to the Supreme Court “who will protect the constitutional principles of liberty and equality for all, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation or political viewpoint” and said that the Obergefell ruling “was a clear reminder of what any court can do: stand for equality or against it; make America a fairer place, or roll back the progress we’ve worked so hard to achieve.”
| Paid for by Human Rights Campaign PAC. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee. |
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