Issue Position: LGBTQ Rights

Issue Position

No American should face discrimination based on gender or sexual orientation. In 2012 I was honored to speak at the Democratic National Convention in support of the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." I was extremely proud to speak on behalf of President Obama and to stand up for equality in the military. Since the end of Don't Ask Don't Tell, the LGBTQ community has won a few critical legal battles, including for marriage equality.

However, our LGBTQ neighbors continue to be a target of hate, discrimination, and unequal treatment under the law. It is no coincidence that LQBTQ youth have the highest rate of suicide in the nation. Retaliating against the success of marriage equality in 2015, many states are enacting draconian legislation that will allow businesses to refuse services to same-sex couples on the basis of religious freedom, and six states have already passed laws that prevent local governments from extending non-discrimination protections to same-sex couples.

We should continually strive to expand marriage equality, workplace protections, enforcement of hate crime laws, and protections for LGBTQ military personnel and veterans. In Congress I will continue fighting to ensure that LGBTQ Americans have the same rights and protections that all Americans should have, and to prevent the rollback of the progress that so many Americans have fought for.

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