{"id":41635,"date":"2016-07-22T12:10:44","date_gmt":"2016-07-22T16:10:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.gayfriendschat.com\/socialblog\/trump-and-pence-close-out-week-of-attacks-on-lgbtq-equality-at-rnc\/"},"modified":"2016-07-22T12:10:44","modified_gmt":"2016-07-22T16:10:44","slug":"trump-and-pence-close-out-week-of-attacks-on-lgbtq-equality-at-rnc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gayfriendschat.com\/socialblog\/trump-and-pence-close-out-week-of-attacks-on-lgbtq-equality-at-rnc\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump and Pence Close Out Week of Attacks on LGBTQ Equality at RNC"},"content":{"rendered":"

Trump and Pence Close Out Week of Attacks on LGBTQ Equality at RNC<\/b>
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HRC today released the following statement at the conclusion of the Republican National Convention, during which the party adopted the most anti-LGBTQ platform in its history<\/a> and featured a parade of anti-LGBTQ speakers. Earlier today, HRC released a new microsite<\/a> highlighting how Donald Trump and Mike Pence threaten historic gains the LGBTQ community has made in the last eight years.<\/p>\n

“Donald Trump and Mike Pence are now leading the most antiquated, anti-LGBTQ ticket in recent memory,” said HRC Communications Director Jay Brown. “Together, Donald Trump and Mike Pence threaten everything we’ve gained — from marriage equality to worker protections — and Trump has vowed to sign hateful federal legislation that would open LGBTQ people to Kim Davis-style discrimination across the country. This week has also shown, sadly, just how far the GOP has left to go, as they doubled down on the most anti-LGBTQ platform in history. This is clearly a ticket that will ‘Take America Backward Again.’”<\/p>\n

This week, the platform committee passed a slew of anti-equality provisions<\/a>, including attacks on transgender people and a commitment to overturn nationwide marriage equality. Meanwhile, speakers at the Republican National Convention launched a slew of attacks on LGBTQ people. Retired <\/a>U.S. Army Lieutenant General Michael Flynn attacked transgender people serving in our military during his speech Monday<\/span>. Meanwhile, former GOP presidential candidate Ben Carson, speaking<\/a> at the Florida delegation breakfast, compared transgender people to someone who “woke up… after seeing a movie about Afghanistan and saying ‘you know what? I’m Afghanistani [sic].”<\/p>\n

In his speech tonight, Donald Trump appallingly feigned support for LGBTQ people after opposing equality at every turn. In addition to his anti-LGBTQ agenda, in recent weeks, he has spoken out against transgender equality, appeared alongside Tony Perkins<\/a> — leader of SPLC-designated hate group the Family Research Council,  and delusionally bragged about fictional support<\/a> from the LGBTQ community in the wake of the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando.<\/p>\n

Trump has also doubled down on his anti-LGBTQ agenda by putting Indiana Gov. Mike Pence on the ticket. Pence became a national disgrace in 2015, for his “license to discriminate<\/a>” bill that could have allowed businesses to deny service to LGBTQ people — and for subsequently defending the bill after an outcry from the business community and a majority of Hoosier voters. In a now notorious interview with ABC last year,<\/a> Pence refused to answer eight separate times<\/a> when asked whether businesses should be able to discriminate against LGBTQ people.<\/p>\n

Pence’s discriminatory bill had enormous consequences for the business and economic health of Indiana after a flood of companies spoke out against the measure. Indianapolis’s nonprofit tourism agency estimated that in their city alone, Pence’s anti-LGBTQ bill cost up to 12 conventions and $60 million in lost revenue<\/a>. Polling conducted by HRC after the 2015 fight found that 75 percent<\/a> of Hoosiers said the debate was bad for the state’s economy and 70 percent<\/a> of those surveyed said they opposed the law.<\/p>\n

Here’s a snapshot of how Donald Trump has been threatening to roll back LGBTQ equality:<\/p>\n