Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin speaks at DNC

by Morgan Allen
Journalism Intern

Chad Griffin, President of the Human Rights Campaign, spoke on behalf of the LGBT community at the Democratic National Convention this Thursday. 

He began his speech by addressing the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando.

"They were brothers and sisters, sons and daughters. Above all, they were human beings," he said of the 49 victims and 53 injured.

Notably, following the attack, GOP nominee Donald Trump stated that he was a friend to "the gays" and to "ask [the gays]" if his critics had any doubts about his stance.

"Well, since he asked," Griffin said. The HRC president went on to compare Trump's record of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender support to Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. 

When Trump supported anti-LGBT legislation, "the Hillary Clinton I first got to know as a closeted kid growing up in Arkansas has always been willing to stand up for the voiceless, and she's made fighting for equality a cornerstone of her campaign."

Clinton plans to sign the Equality Act into law as President.

When Donald Trump chose Mike Pence, who diverted HIV funding to expand conversion therapy, as his running mate, Hillary Clinton "committed to stopping the spread of HIV, banning conversion therapy for minors and ending the hate and violence our community still faces," Griffin said.

Boldly, Griffin stated that "long before Donald Trump struggled to read the letters 'LGBTQ' off a teleprompter, Hillary Clinton stood before the United Nations and boldly declared that gay rights are human rights."

To wild applause, Griffin ended with "one [final] thing."

"The LGBTQ community is as diverse as the fabric of our nation. We are Muslim. We are Jewish. We are women. We are black, white, and Latino. We are immigrants and we are people with disabilities. And when you attack one of us, you are attacking all of us."

The Human Rights Campaign formally endorsed Hillary Clinton in January of 2016. Previously HRC endorsed Barack Obama for president in June 2008 and in May 2011, Senator John Kerry for president in June 2004, and Al Gore for president in February 2000.

Sara Ritsch contributed to this report

Copyright The Gayly 7/28/2016 @ 5:00 p.m. CDT