Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-Mich.) (Photo courtesy of the Office of the Governor of Michigan)
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest LGBTQ rights organization, announced on Sept. 23 that Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer will be the keynote speaker at its annual National Dinner fundraiser in Washington, D.C.
The dinner is one of the biggest nights for the HRC — where thousands of LGBTQ civil rights advocates, elected officials, celebrities and community leaders mingle in the nation’s capital to raise money for the ongoing fight against LGBTQ discrimination.
This year’s dinner will take place at the Washington Hilton.
Alongside Whitmer, HRC will honor changemakers and LGBTQ+ allies and icons Marcia Gay Harden, André De Shields, and Junior LaBeija at the event.
Whitmer is a strong ally and proud mother of an LGBTQ+ child whose pro-equality leadership has led to critical civil rights protections for Michigan’s LGBTQ+ community.
HRC President Kelley Robinson issued a statement explaining why they chose the straight Michigander to deliver the headlining keynote address — pointing to her long track record and unwavering support in recent years, as anti-LGBTQ sentiment has not only grown but become more divisive in American politics. This is particularly important now as GOP leaders continue to attack and minimize rights for transgender people across the country.
“Gov. Gretchen Whitmer exemplifies the kind of allyship our community needs in this moment. She is a proud parent of an LGBTQ+ child and a governor whose leadership and commitment to equality have advanced crucial civil rights protections for LGBTQ+ people in Michigan,” Robinson said. “We are thrilled to have her join us at this year’s National Dinner and look forward to hearing how we can take Michigan’s lessons to create safe and welcoming spaces across the country.”
Some of those lessons Whitmer helped push include signing legislation that expanded the Elliot-Larsen Civil Rights Act to include sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression, signing executive directives to strengthen protections against anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination in state employment, and prohibiting the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services from using state or federal funds for harmful “conversion therapy” practices on youth.
She was also the first governor to fly the Pride flag on a Michigan state building in 2019.
“I’m a proud mom of a gay daughter, so it is personal when politicians try to tell people who they can be or who they can love,” said Whitmer. “In Michigan, we didn’t just talk about equality, we wrote it into law. We expanded Elliott-Larsen so no one can be fired or evicted for who they are. None of that happened by accident, and none of it is guaranteed. That’s why I’m proud to stand with HRC to organize, turn out, and win this November, because every right we’ve won is on the ballot.”
