WASHINGTON – With another campaign launch today after his embarrassing flameou the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, released a video highlighting presidential candidate Rick Perry, in his own words, using harmful rhetoric to oppose LGBT equality. Perry has consistently opposed LGBT equality, from marriage to non-discrimination protections. ˚˚
“If Rick Perry wants to genuinely show that he’s matured into a serious candidate after his embarrassing failure in 2012, he could start by expressing support for marriage equality and signaling that he will not work to undermine or overturn a Supreme Court ruling in favor of nationwide marriage equality,” said JoDee Winterhof, HRC’s Vice President for Policy and Political Affairs. “If Rick Perry truly wants to be taken seriously as a candidate, he needs to re-evaluate his opposition to LGBT equality in a country where six in ten voters support same-sex marriage.”
In a notorious television ad in 2012, Perry objected to the fact that “Gays Can Serve Openly In The Military But Our Kids Can’t Openly Celebrate Christmas Or Pray In School.” The ad failed to jumpstart his sinking campaign. In 2014, he compared being LGBT to alcoholism, saying “I may have the genetic coding that I’m inclined to be an alcoholic, but I have the desire not to do that, and I look at the homosexual issue the same way.”
Highlights on Rick Perry’s Anti-LGBT Record:
Overview: Texas Gov. Rick Perry has spent years on the political stage. During that time, not only has he consistently opposed LGBT equality, but he’s used his opposition to LGBT rights as a campaign issue against other candidates. [Citations/Full Research Brief]
On Marriage Equality: Perry supported a ballot measure to ban same-sex marriage in Texas, supports a federal constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage nationwide, and has attacked judges who have ruled against same-sex marriage bans. He even defied a Department of Defense rule that would have granted LGBT service members access to domestic partner benefits. [Citations/Full Research Brief]
On LGBT Discrimination: Perry attacked the Obama Administration’s work to protect LGBT people around the world from discrimination, and he opposed the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which would have protected LGBT workers in the United States from employment discrimination. He also defended Gov. Mike Pence’s right to discriminate legislation. [Citations/Full Research Brief]
Conversion Therapy: Perry has campaigned with and given speeches to organizations that promote dangerous “conversion therapy” that has led to LGBT minors committing suicide. [Citations/Full Research Brief]
Anti-Bullying: Perry signed a bill that required schools to have anti-bullying policies, but the bill did not include LGBT-specific provisions. He also signed a hate crimes bill that was opposed by his predecessor, George W. Bush. [Citations/Full Research Brief]
Adoption: Perry defended Texas’ ban on LGBT couples adopting children, and said he would support a federal measure to ban LGBT couples from adopting. [Citations/Full Research Brief]
Rick Perry probably can’t remember what he defended or was against as he messed up in the last GOP candidacy run for president nominee.