(Photo via HRC.org)
The Human Rights Campaign PAC endorsed President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris’ bid for reelection in a statement Oct. 10.
The group, America’s largest advocacy organization for LGBTQ people, noted the “wave of harmful and discriminatory legislation — some of which was engineered and championed by extremist GOP candidates running for president and their allies — and the concurrent spike in anti-transgender rhetoric and violence.”
For these reasons, HRC issued a state of emergency for LGBTQ Americans this past spring.
The group’s president, Kelley Robinson, cited “their steadfast and unyielding support of LGBTQ+ Americans” and noted their allyship comes at “a time when the forces of hatred seek to divide us by race, place and identity” so “the choice in this election is clear.”
“In its first term, the Biden-Harris administration has worked closely with HRC and other advocates to secure so many historic, landmark victories for LGBTQ+ Americans — from protecting our right to marry who we love and challenging discriminatory laws seeking to deny healthcare to transgender youth, to strengthening policies that prevent discrimination in foster care, and affirming the identities of all Americans — including nonbinary people who previously could not secure a passport with appropriate gender markers,” Robinson said.
“This leadership is crucial now more than ever as LGBTQ+ Americans are living in a state of emergency — experiencing unprecedented attacks from extremist politicians and their right wing allies in states across the country, who are working tirelessly to erase us,” she said. “What’s at stake in the 2024 presidential election for LGBTQ+ people is our humanity, our right to exist, and our ability to live and raise our families in environments free from discrimination and fear.”
Robinson added, “As we did in the 2022 midterms, we will mobilize millions of Equality Voters to support pro-equality, pro-choice, and pro-democracy candidates like President Biden and Vice President Harris. We will not waver, we will not retreat and we will again send a message that this democracy belongs to the people and we will protect our freedoms, our identities and our bodies without exception.”
HRC noted the Biden-Harris administration’s “executive actions and rulemakings in a host of areas including federal employment protections for LGBTQ+ people, military service protections for transgender people, expanding mental health resources for LGBTQ+ youth, ensuring enforcement of LGBTQ+ students’ rights under Title IX, restoring nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ+ people in healthcare, and ending discrimination against gay and bisexual blood donors, among many others.”
By contrast, GOP candidates include “some of the most notorious anti-LGBTQ+ extremists” like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, HRC wrote.
The president and first lady Jill Biden will deliver remarks during HRC’s annual National Dinner on Saturday at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in D.C.
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