The GOP's Mixed Messages On LGBTQ Rights | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics

The GOP's Mixed Messages On LGBTQ Rights

From the most anti-LGBTQ platform to an openly gay convention speaker, it was an interesting show to watch

14
The GOP's Mixed Messages On LGBTQ Rights
ZeroFiltered

After unveiling a platform that was called “the most anti-LGBT platform in history” by Gregory T. Angelo, president of the best-known gay conservative group in the country, the Log Cabin Republicans, the GOP did something fascinating this week. Almost every night of coverage featured someone mention gay rights in a speech.

This started on Monday when former New York City mayor, Rudy Giuliani, stated that the Republican Party should "get the heck out of people's bedrooms" while acknowledging law enforcement of "every sexual orientation."

This was followed up on Wednesday night by various speakers. There was former House speaker Newt Gingrich who said that, “If our enemies had their way,” he said—referring to “radical Islamists”—“not a single woman in this room could define her future. If our enemies had their way, gays, lesbians and transgender citizens would be put to death, as they are today in the Islamic State and Iran.”

Texas Senator Ted Cruz, someone viewed as extremely socially conservative, followed this by stating that, “"Freedom means religious freedom, whether you are Christian or Jew, Muslim or atheist. Gay or straight. The Bill of Rights protects the rights of all of us to live according to our conscience." Finally, on Wednesday, the vice president for the Eric Trump Foundation, Lynne Patton, said that, “[Donald Trump] knows that LBGTQ lives matter.”

Then to finish it off on the last day of the convention, we had PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel making history as the first GOP convention speaker to announce he is proud to be gay. He stated that, "Every American has a unique identity. I am proud to be gay, I am proud to be a Republican, but most of all I am proud to be an American."

Still, even after this theme of some level of tolerance and acceptance of gay rights, there remain several questions. My main one is: How can you reach out to this group after years of policies that discriminated against them? Sure, you can get a bunch of people on stage and make them act like they care, by uttering a few sentences that mention that community’s right to live the way they should be entitled. However, I believe it goes much further than that. I believe that actions speak louder than words, and what is said in the party’s platform presents some walls that no convention speech can mend.

For those of you who have not viewed the GOP platform on LGBTQ rights, here’s a quick rundown. First, it states an intent to overturn the Supreme Court’s 2015 decision to legalize gay marriage in all 50 states. Second, it wants to make it legal to discriminate against LGBT people. Third, it wants to discourage gay couples from adopting children. And last, but not least, it wants to make “conversion therapy” legal for minors. All of these are serious discriminatory policies against the LGBTQ community and Log Cabin president Gregory T. Angelo wrote, “There’s no way to sugar-coat this: I’m mad as hell.”

While Trump may have stood up in his acceptance speech on Thursday night and mentioned LGBTQ rights, while tripping up somewhat on the letters, it does not go far enough. Especially considering that other speakers were not eager to even engage the topic in a serious manner in their remarks.

There was Trump’s potential VP selection and retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, who stated that, “War is not about bathrooms.” This statement that was meant to criticize President Obama for spending time fighting about open bathrooms rather than ISIS. Along this line was Trump’s actual Vice-Presidential pick, Mike Pence, who has a long history of opposing LGBT rights.

After Trump mentioned the LGBTQ community on Thursday night, he made a point to say, “As a Republican, it is so nice to hear you cheering for what I just said.” Hopefully, this will not be something said by a major party nominee again because LGBTQ rights should not be a question, they should be real rights for real people. Right now, it’s uncertain where the conversation on LGBTQ rights for the GOP heads from here, but after a week of the most anti-LGBTQ platform and mixed messages from speakers, it is anyone’s guess.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
two women enjoying confetti

Summer: a time (usually) free from school work and a time to relax with your friends and family. Maybe you go on a vacation or maybe you work all summer, but the time off really does help. When you're in college you become super close with so many people it's hard to think that you won't see many of them for three months. But, then you get that text saying, "Hey, clear your schedule next weekend, I'm coming up" and you begin to flip out. Here are the emotions you go through as your best friend makes her trip to your house.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Syllabus Week As Told By Kourtney Kardashian

Feeling Lost During Syllabus Week? You're Not Alone!

681
Kourtney Kardashian

Winter break is over, we're all back at our respective colleges, and the first week of classes is underway. This is a little bit how that week tends to go.

The professor starts to go over something more than the syllabus

You get homework assigned on the first day of class

There are multiple group projects on the syllabus

You learn attendance is mandatory and will be taken every class

Professor starts chatting about their personal life and what inspired them to teach this class

Participation is mandatory and you have to play "icebreaker games"

Everybody is going out because its 'syllabus week' but you're laying in bed watching Grey's Anatomy

Looking outside anytime past 8 PM every night of this week

Nobody actually has any idea what's happening this entire week

Syllabus week is over and you realize you actually have to try now...or not

Now it's time to get back into the REAL swing of things. Second semester is really here and we all have to deal with it.

panera bread

Whether you specialized in ringing people up or preparing the food, if you worked at Panera Bread it holds a special place in your heart. Here are some signs that you worked at Panera in high school.

1. You own so many pairs of khaki pants you don’t even know what to do with them

Definitely the worst part about working at Panera was the uniform and having someone cute come in. Please don’t look at me in my hat.

Keep Reading...Show less
Drake
Hypetrak

1. Nails done hair done everything did / Oh you fancy huh

You're pretty much feeling yourself. New haircut, clothes, shoes, everything. New year, new you, right? You're ready for this semester to kick off.

Keep Reading...Show less
7 Ways to Make Your Language More Transgender and Nonbinary Inclusive

With more people becoming aware of transgender and non-binary people, there have been a lot of questions circulating online and elsewhere about how to be more inclusive. Language is very important in making a space safer for trans and non-binary individuals. With language, there is an established and built-in measure of whether a place could be safe or unsafe. If the wrong language is used, the place is unsafe and shows a lack of education on trans and non-binary issues. With the right language and education, there can be more safe spaces for trans and non-binary people to exist without feeling the need to hide their identities or feel threatened for merely existing.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments