Third-Party presidential candidates’ positions on LGBT rights
by Sara Ritsch
Staff Writer
Dr. Jill Stein
Physician Jill Stein is running for the 2016 presidential election, representing the Green Party. She is commonly known to perpetuate the anti-vaxx movement, as said by scientist and Forbes contributor Emily Willingham, who stated Stein is “using dog-whistle terms and equivocations bound to appeal to the ‘antivaccine’ constituency.”
But, Stein’s position on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights is extremely left-leaning.
She has advocated for gay marriage from the beginning, and in 2002, she became the first pro-gay gubernatorial candidate in the first gay marriage state, Massachusetts. On National Coming Out Day in 2012, she reaffirmed her “commitment to stand in solidarity with people of all sexual orientations and gender identities who have added so much to the life of our nation,” and encouraged the audience to “stand with the members of the LGBTQ community as they ask for the fairness and respect they deserve, but which is not yet fully granted.”
To this day, she completely denounces discrimination by use of the coded term “religious freedom,” calling it a “surrogate for patriarchal domination.” After marriage equality was achieved, her advocacy shifted to workplace equality as a next step.
“All people are entitled to full civil rights, including gays,” Stein said. She also told OnTheIssues (OTI) that an “economy that is not fully inclusive is inherently unstable” in 2011.
In 2015, she told OTI that she opposes discrimination and supports protections for LGBT individuals. “I include transgender rights in GLBT protection. Sexual orientation should not be a basis for discrimination whether it’s LGB or T....I believe in doing what is right and leading the way. The Democratic Party is doing the opposite of that.”
Her denouncing of the Democratic Party and the two-party system has turned out to welcome many Bernie Sanders former supporters to her campaign, but she still ranks almost ten times lower in the polls than Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton. Clinton is said to be the only candidate to beat Donald Trump, who, along with his running mate Gov. Mike Pence, intends to disallow LGBT protections.
Stein’s running mate, Ajamu Baraka, has not made comment on his position on LGBT rights. But, he was founding executive director of the U.S. Human Rights Network and has served on boards of several human rights organizations, such as Amnesty International, the National Center for Human Rights Education and the Mississippi Workers’ Center for Human Rights.
Gov. Gary Johnson
The Libertarian nominee for the 2016 presidential election is Gary Johnson, who originally ran as a Republican in the 2011 election. He is fiscally conservative and socially liberal, but he was called “the original Tea Party candidate” by political analyst David Weigel due to his stance on tax cuts (high). However, he is a strong supporter of civil rights.
Johnson has spoken in favor of separation of church and state, saying he does not “seek the council of God” in regards to his political agenda. This alone speaks for his opinion of “religious liberties” being used to cut protections for LGBT people.
In 2011, he endorsed same-sex marriage. He has since criticized the Obama administration for throwing the question of marriage equality “back to the states.” He has also called for a constitutional amendment protecting the right for marriage equality, while saying he supports the principles embodied in the Equal Rights Amendment.
Johnson told OnTheIssues, “I support gay unions,” and then said to leave the “government out of marriage business.” He also called for Proposition 8 to be overturned, saying, “Let gays marry.”
His opinions of other civil rights issues, such as abortion and gun control, may be seen as strict in their opposition, though. Johnson is second to last in the polls, ahead of only Jill Stein.
Johnson’s running mate, attorney Bill Weld, delivered the homily at two same-sex weddings. He also called for Prop. 8 to be overturned in California. In a 1996 interview with OTI, he said, “We shouldn’t have discrimination in housing and employment.”
When headed to the polls this November 8, be sure to follow each candidates’ position on the issues you care about the most. Watch their numbers to see who is most likely to defeat your least favorite candidate, and make an informed decision with everyone’s best interest in mind. See you there.
Copyright 2016 The Gayly – September 25, 2016 @ 3:30 p.m.