Pete Buttigieg has released his plan to fight for LGBTQ equality.
With CNN and the HRC’s Town Hall on LGBTQ equality set for later tonight, Buttigieg (and Elizabeth Warren, but more on her in a separate post) has released his plans for LGBTQ equality.
The plan focuses on several different factors. Buttigieg would attempt to work on passing the Equality Act. He would attempt to push Congress to pass the legislation, which passed the House in May, and would amend the Civil Rights Act to block discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, as well as gender identity.
But that’s not all, Buttigieg also shared the plan to reverse the Trump administration’s efforts to remove rights from LGBTQ Americans such as making sure that the religious freedom movement isn’t used as an excuse to discriminate, making sure that the federal government is actively trying to end LGBTQ discrimination, and ending the ban on blood donation by gay men.
On top of all that, Buttigieg also announced the plan to improve health care and mental health care for LGBTQ Americans, fight for the end of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, ensure access to PrEP, end conversion therapy across the country, providing programs and space for homeless LGBTQ youth, enforcing the Hate Crimes Prevention act, and more.
I will use my story, our energy, and the power of the presidency to tear down the walls that have excluded far too many LGBTQ+ people for far too long. Today, I am proud to share my plan for building a new era for LGBTQ+ Americans: https://t.co/GPVecSJWEx pic.twitter.com/vSHDfeW4xk
— Pete Buttigieg (@PeteButtigieg) October 10, 2019
Honestly, it’s a very long list of hopes and dreams, but can it all be fulfilled? Buttigieg seems to think so.
“Twenty years ago, an awkward teenager at St. Joe High School in South Bend, Indiana, who didn’t know a single out LGBTQ+ student, never would have imagined how far we would come as a country. But what does our country look like to a teenager in 2019, just starting to realize who they are? What future do they see for themselves? They see an administration that deems people who risk their lives for their country unfit for service because they are transgender.2 They see a President who, when asked about LGBTQ+ rights by a reporter, joked of his Vice President: “Don’t ask that guy—he wants to hang them all!”3 4 They see more states covering gender-affirming procedures, but also see high schools refusing to allow trans students to use the bathroom of their current gender. They see people with HIV living vibrant lives, but also see people who cannot afford necessary, life-saving treatment. They see gay nightclubs opening up across the country, but they can’t—they refuse to—forget Pulse.”
And to help create even more sympathy for his campaign, Buttigieg released a series of videos featuring LGBTQ campaign staffers working for him.
If you want to read Buttigieg’s LGBTQ equality plans in detail, you can read the entire announcement by clicking this link. Then don’t forget that the Town Hall on LGBTQ Equality airs 7:30 p.m. to 12 a.m. ET on CNN.
