[transgendernews] [Commentary] [USA] Obama's chance to make sure he leaves no LGBTQ vote behind.
Autumn Sandeen
Excerpt: He supports an extension of the National Employment
Nondiscrimination Act to include sexual orientation and gender
identity...
~~~~~
Get Out the (Out) Vote
Obama's chance to make sure he leaves no LGBTQ vote behind.
by Timothy J. McLaughlin
Philadelphia citypaper.net, PA
Published: Oct 1, 2008
http://www.citypaper.net/articles/2008/10/02/get-out-the-out-vote
Every election year, Philadelphia's OutFest becomes ground zero for
local and state politicians hoping to win the gay vote. Candidates
like now-Mayor Michael Nutter have cultivated a strong following by
working the crowd and spreading an LGBTQ-inclusive message. This
year, the stakes are even higher: The votes of Philly's LGBTQ
community will help decide where Pennsylvania falls in the
presidential race. So come Oct. 12, Obama supporters will be hitting
OutFest's glitter-covered streets.
For the most part, Obama has an LGBTQ-friendly platform. He supports
an extension of the National Employment Nondiscrimination Act to
include sexual orientation and gender identity, supports the repeal
of the National Defense of Marriage Act and supports civil unions.
His opposition to gay marriage, however, makes many LGBTQ voters
question his commitment to their cause, and, for most of the primary
race, he rarely spoke with LGBTQ media outlets, leaving questions
about what he wasn't saying. Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton was happily
courting the community (Chelsea even made an appearance at Woody's),
and enjoyed the endorsement of many LGBTQ advocates in Pennsylvania,
including the Liberty City Democrats. Now Obama has a chance to
motivate them.
"Our campaign will definitely have a strong presence at OutFest,"
says Jesse Salazar, the Obama Campaign's Pennsylvania LGBTQ
co-director. "We expect to have over 50 volunteers working to
provide information to our community about Barack's fantastic record
on LGBT issues."
Franny Price, executive director of Philly Pride Presents - the
folks who organize OutFest and the PrideDay Parade - say all
politicians are welcome. Some are regulars. "I think Ed Rendell has
only missed about three of our events in the last 15 years. He's
such a ham!"
Hamming it up for the LGBTQ community can have its electoral
benefits. Patrick Egan, professor of politics at NYU, has studied
the political behavior of gay men, lesbians and bisexuals, and has
found a strong link between the coming out process and voting
behavior.
"If you rally gays to your cause, you have a built-in voting group
that is highly mobilized," Egan says. He explains that coming out
often facilitates a "political conversion" whereby many out
individuals become more politically active.
Egan also found that LGBTQ voters tend to vote overwhelmingly for
Democratic candidates - though there are exceptions.
Log Cabin Republicans, a network of conservative LGBTQ grass-roots
organizations, has endorsed John McCain. They say McCain's position
on the Federal Marriage Amendment makes him an inclusive Republican.
(McCain voted against a motion to consider the amendment; his Web
site says he is opposed to gay marriage, but prefers that the states
decide marriage issues.)
Brian Tomlin, president of the Philadelphia chapter of Log Cabins,
says the endorsement was controversial, but this year, there is more
talk of inclusion from the GOP. "They're actually communicating with
us. They recognize that we're an important part of the party." The
Philadelphia chapter endorses only local candidates, but the seven
they endorsed this year all support civil unions and oppose any
constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage.
"What pro-gay record? Give me a break!" says Mark Segal, publisher
of the Philadelphia Gay News. Segal calls the national group's
endorsement, "just blankly shameful."
According to a Harris Poll released on Aug.19, 68 percent of
registered LGBTQ voters plan to vote for Obama, only 10 percent for
McCain. Clearly, then, the risk for Obama is not losing the LGBTQ
vote, but rather not capitalizing on it as much as he might.
After the Harris Poll was taken, the Democrats made a push for LGBTQ
voters at their convention, according to Daniel C. Miller, an openly
gay Harrisburg City Council member and DNC delegate. In his speech,
Obama said that, while there are differences on marriage, "we can
agree that our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters deserve to visit
the person they love in a hospital and to live lives free of
discrimination."
"There was a California delegate across the aisle from me who is a
lesbian," Miller says. "She ran over to me, hugged me and said, 'Oh,
he mentioned us!' Just that he mentioned us was a big moment."
That mention may seem minor, but for some, it's a landmark. The
LGBTQ community will look for another one at OutFest.
~~
editorial@citypaper.net
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~~~~~
~~Autumn Sandeen~~
- Transgender Advocacy And Services Center Of San Diego Steering
Committee
- Transgendernews News Archivist
~~~~~
On The Web:
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- The View From (Ab)Normal Heights
(http://transadvocate.com/autumnsandeen)
~~~~~
The good neighbor looks beyond the external accidents and discerns
those inner qualities that make all men human and, therefore,
brothers.
--Martin Luther King Jr.
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