Where do presidential contenders stand on LGBT rights?

The 2016 Presidential Primaries are quickly approaching, and LGBT voters are faced with the same choices as every other American: who should I vote for? The candidates have outlying qualities to be both admired and despised, but the views of each candidate on LGBT rights swing to the extremes.

Here’s what we found on their campaign websites and, in some cases, through vigorous web surfing (since many candidates do not have an LGBT platform on their own websites).

Democrats

Hillary Clinton: Former Secretary of State Clinton promotes equality as a root value in U.S. foreign policy, aiming to affect belief systems and laws around the world. According to her campaign website, Clinton stands for full equality for LGBT Americans, in order to be able to live, learn, work and marry without discrimination. However, that is the only statement regarding LGBT rights on her entire website, and when more information is requested, a donation is required. But one cannot overlook her statement before the Human Rights Council in Geneva, “Gay rights are human rights, and human rights are gay rights,” which has achieved national attention.

[As Secretary of State, Clinton pushed to expand LGBT rights both abroad and within the State Department, according to Huffington Post – but, Clinton did not come out as a supporter of LGBT rights until she left the Obama administration.]

Bernie Sanders: Senator Sanders cosponsors the Equality Act, which would expand upon the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as well as other anti-discrimination laws. This includes protections for gender identity and sexual orientation. He currently and consistently supports legislation that would guarantee equal rights for LGBT Americans. The Human Rights Campaign has given him a lifetime perfect score. As President, he would sign into law every bill that prohibits discrimination against LGBT people. He would veto any legislation that “protects” religious liberty while denying the rights of others, further ensuring true equality. In addition, he vows to give LGBT Americans appropriate health insurance coverage without discrimination, to influence LGBT rights around the world, and to reduce student-based bullying and suicides within the LGBT realm. He further would ban bank discrimination regarding mortgages, credit cards and loans, and finally, he vows to require police departments to treat transgender women, of color in particular, with fair and just policies by instituting training programs for uninformed officers. This is only a portion of his policy on his campaign website.

Republicans

Jeb Bush: Former Gov. Bush believes marriage is between “one man” and “one woman” and initially supported the amendment to Florida’s constitution to oppose same-sex marriage. He believes that any LGBT employee should remain closeted and calls LGBT protections “special legal rights.” In 2015, he said, “…we have to restore committed loving family life with a mom and a dad loving their children with their heart and soul.” However, he told Politifact that he respects the gay adoption laws in place even though he previously was an outspoken part of their opposition. Also in 2015 he announced his support for LGBT nondiscrimination laws and his opposition for religious freedom laws that would allow LGBT discrimination. Overall, Bush claims to want to find a balance between religious liberty and the right of everyone to marry.

Ted Cruz: Sen. Cruz believes wholeheartedly in religious freedom and is quoted as telling Ellen Page, who is a lesbian, “what we should not be doing is persecuting people who follow their faith,” when she said that LGBT people are concerned that they will be discriminated against in his campaign. Cruz has a long-standing anti-LGBT history – in the Senate, he introduced legislation that would potentially stop the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriage in certain states, he led the decision to deny Texas couples marriage equality and he aims to introduce an amendment to the Constitution that would prevent nationwide marriage equality. He also thinks that homosexuality is a choice.

Marco Rubio: Sen. Rubio went on the Christian Broadcasting Network to express his opposition to marriage equality, saying that it is “unconstitutional” to allow same-sex couples to get married. Although he has been called the most moderate candidate, his views on LGBT rights are hostile. He has promised to overturn the Obergefell ruling in his presidency, and has said that there is a “clear and present danger” to Christianity as a result of people supporting gay marriage. Rubio is an original cosponsor of the First Amendment Defense Act, which would allow every individual, business and government employee to discriminate against people according to their sexual orientation, gender identity and marital status. He also promised to oppose all federal support of transgender rights, including their fight for bathroom and locker room use.

Donald Trump: Mr. Trump does not support gay marriage. Although he’s been fairly quiet on the subject, he is quoted as saying, “it’s not my thing one way or the other,” to Howard Stern; and, “I don’t feel good about it. I don’t feel right about it,” to Bill O’Reilly. Although he insists he has fabulous gay friends, he is a traditionalist.

John Kasich: Gov. Kasich has maintained that he believes in traditional marriage but he respects the Supreme Court’s decision to legalize same-sex marriage nationwide. He uses God as a buffer, saying that he can love someone despite their sexual orientation because of the love that God gives all of His children. However, his spokesman Rob Nichols wrote a statement saying, “[Kasich] opposes gay marriage and opposed changing Ohio’s Constitution to allow for civil unions.” He once attended a gay wedding [Hodges], which impressed some people and failed to impress some others.

Ben Carson: Dr. Carson’s campaign website states, “I believe marriage is strictly between a man and a woman. While I am against gay marriage, I find that civil unions provide a viable alternative. Civil unions offer same-sex couples various rights, such as hospital visitation rights and property rights, without fundamentally changing the definition of marriage.” Although this is much less hostile than the aforementioned candidates, Right Wing Watch reported he called LGBT people “abnormal” in an interview with a Catholic news network, and said that the idea of everyone conforming to absolute equality for LGBT couples is “beyond ridiculous.” Carson also said that sexual orientation is a “personal issue” that is uninteresting to him, according to CNN. “That kind of thing should be left to therapists and to individuals,” he said, further hushing the subject.

The Gayly – February 20, 2016 @ 2 p.m.