WASHINGTON – Mitt Romney has admitted his opposition to even the most basic forms of relationship recognition for gay and lesbian couples.
On the same day as President Barack Obama historically announced his support for marriage equality and stressed that all people are deserving of dignity and respect, Romney told a Denver news station, “If a civil union is identical to marriage other than in the name, I don’t support that.”
On hearing the news HRC President Joe Solmonese said, “It’s disheartening – but not at all surprising – that on this historic day, Mitt Romney is yet again bowing to the demands of his far-right anti-gay supporters and speaking out against not just marriage, but even civil unions. Today, we heard from President Obama a message of hope that made a compelling case for why committed, loving same-sex couples deserve the right to marry. Mitt Romney, on the other hand, is seeking to undo all of the hard-fought progress we’ve achieved over these past few years. He wants to codify discrimination against LGBT people into our Constitution via a federal marriage amendment, and he refuses to acknowledge the dignity and basic protections our families need.”
Mitt Romney vehemently fought against marriage equality when it became law in Massachusetts and has petitioned Congress for a federal marriage amendment that would strip marriage equality from couples in six states and the District of Columbia. Romney has aligned himself closely – both through financial support and in his policies – with the rabidly anti-gay National Organization for Marriage (NOM). He even signed their extremist “marriage vow,” in which he promises to defend the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act, vigorously push for a federal marriage amendment, and set up a McCarthy-like commission to investigate LGBT equality supporters.
Romney opposed the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. He opposes federal protections for LGBT people in the workplace, now claiming that he feels an employment non-discrimination act would place an “undue burden” on employers.
