First openly lesbian senator honors Democratic LGBT caucus, endorses Clinton

by Sara Ritsch
Staff Writer

Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin  has been a champion of the middle class and LGBT community since she became the first openly lesbian woman to be elected to the House of Representatives.

At the Democratic LGBT caucus meeting in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Baldwin stood in a room filled with notable leaders, trying to break yet another glass ceiling in the Democratic movement.

“I didn’t run [for senator] to make history,” she said. “I ran to make a difference.”

Baldwin addressed the delegates in the room, saying “the ripple effect your leadership has, it is a stone being cast in a body of water."

“Sometimes you know where the ripples come ashore, other times they are too distant and you don’t know,” she said. “But your ripples impact others because you are out, because you are vocal and because you are visible. They give hope to others who feel that ripple and feel your impact. And that is a remarkable act of leadership.”

Baldwin said she felt deeply about shaping the future and supporting the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community, which is why she was present at the convention.

“If we’re in the room, the conversation is with us. If we are out of the room, the conversation is about us. We are in the room!”

Baldwin spoke about the Equality Act, which was introduced in 2015 with more than 200 co-sponsors. She said it is a necessary step of protecting those who live in communities where there are no protections against discrimination in employment, public accommodations and housing.

According to the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), “the Equality Act would amend existing civil rights laws to include sexual orientation and gender identity as protected characteristics.”  

Baldwin also spoke on the Orlando shooting that occurred in June, and about joining the filibuster with Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut to raise voices about gun violence.

The attack on Orlando was an act of gun violence, ‘terror inspired by terrorism’ and a hate crime, she said.

Diverging from somber sentiments, Baldwin said she wants to offer leadership so she can inspire even more leadership.

She took a moment to celebrate the 2009 passage of the Matthew Shepard Act, which expanded the 1969 United States federal hate crime law to include crimes based on gender, sexual orientation and gender identity.

Baldwin also celebrated the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, and celebrated the Supreme Court decision to give lesbian and gay couples the right to marry. The LGBT caucus erupted in applause, giving Baldwin a standing ovation.

She noted that the LGBT community still has a long way to go, but that “we are about to make history again, and about to make a difference again."

Baldwin said Hillary Clinton's presidency would transform the lives of countless young people living in America and abroad.

Sen. Baldwin ended her speech with the statement, “Human rights are gay rights, and gay rights are human rights.”

Sophia Babb contributed to this report.
Copyright  2016 - The Gayly 7/20/16 @ 5:00 p.m. CDT