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<\/p>\nAlabama Senator Doug Jones on His Gay Son\u2019s Influence, Instagram, and Coming Out<\/b>
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Alabama Senator Doug Jones on Tuesday became the 46th co-sponsor of the Equality Act<\/a>, which would add sexual orientation and gender identity to current civil rights laws.<\/p>\n In a new meeting with GLASS (Gays, Lesbians & Allies Senate Staff) attended by the Washington Blade<\/em><\/a>, Jones talked about his commitment to LGBT equality, which helped him win the seat vacated by Jeff Sessions.<\/p>\n Jones called the Equality Act \u201cvery, very important\u201d though he admitted the bill\u2019s chances in the current Congress were slim: \u201cIf that will happen, it will rank right up there with the Obergefell decision. I\u2019m a co-sponsor of that. I\u2019d like to see it happen this Congress. I doubt it will.\u201d<\/p>\n Jones also talked about the importance of data collection on hate crimes.<\/p>\n He also was asked about his gay<\/a> son, a student at Colorado State University whose Instagram account<\/a> gained a following during Jones\u2019s run for Senate.<\/p>\n Carson Jones \/ Instagram<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve all seen it,\u201d quipped Jones of the account, which features the occasional shirtless selfie, along with photos of animals (he\u2019s a zookeeper), and his travels.<\/p>\n Jones talked about the influence his son has had on his views:\u00a0\u201cHas it affected me? Absolutely.\u00a0Everything affects you, but obviously a child affects you more than anything else. I\u2019m happy to do that, I\u2019m happy to be there to defend him \u2014 when he can be defended, as we always say, when he can be defended.\u201d<\/p>\n Jones added that other experiences such as \u201ca probate judge in Jefferson County whom we defended when Roy Moore tried to shut him down giving marriage licenses\u201d have also affected him.<\/p>\n The Washington Blade<\/em> also asked<\/a> Jones about the experience of having Carson come out to him, if there\u2019s been a shift in LGBT rights attitudes in Alabama, and the transgender military ban. Check out the rest of Chris Johnson\u2019s interview HERE<\/a>.<\/p>\n The post Alabama Senator Doug Jones on His Gay Son\u2019s Influence, Instagram, and Coming Out<\/a> appeared first on Towleroad<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/www.towleroad.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/carson_jones.jpg?resize=740%2C864\")
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