By Rachael Walloga
Elm Staff Writer
As the political race comes to a close and US citizens prepare to vote, we ask ourselves: what do these politicians actually believe in?
Unfortunately, the media has shifted its focus from the hard issues due to the constant scandal that seems to surround both campaigns. If they aren’t talking about Trump’s remarks they’re talking about Hillary’s emails, which means the media isn’t reporting on the actual issues.
So, what do the candidates think about LGBTQ rights and what have they done to advocate for that community?
Clinton, running as Democrat, has made strides for LGBTQ rights during her career but perhaps not as much as hoped. During Bill Clinton’s pursuit of the Democratic nomination in 1992, Secretary Clinton largely stayed out of the conversation of equal rights, especially when it became politically risky to do so.
“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” the famous military policy that was implemented during President Bill Clinton’s first year in office, stated that a LGBTQ individual can serve in the military as long as they never come out.
Later, the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) was signed by the president, and a month afterwards Secretary Clinton made a statement that, “she was unwilling to support legalized (gay) marriage.”
Although she continues to fight for rights for the LGBTQ community, it seems that she has continuously shown reluctance to move towards marriage equality.
It wasn’t until 2013, when she released a statement with the Human Rights Campaign, that she publically stated she was in support of gay marriage.
Now, it seems that she has publically come forward in support of equal rights for all. Her website outlines her opinions on the issues, claiming that she will fight for transgender rights, gay rights in the military, and work on AIDS care and prevention.
Some still hold reservations because of her history of reluctance on the issue, but her political campaign seems to have given her a position as a firm LGBTQ supporter, which would be hard to reject after election.
It is possible to say that Trump would not be an advocate for LGBTQ rights, considering that his running mate, Mike Pence, “has become the face of anti-LGBTQ discrimination after signing a bill to allow businesses to discriminate and deny service to LGBTQ, [people]” according to the Human Rights Campaign.
This support of the HB2 law in North Carolina is especially harmful for the transgender community, which continues to be targeted by discriminatory laws.
Pence has consistently been against marriage equality, and even against civil unions.
In an article published by CNN, “What a Trump Presidency Would Be for LGBT Equality,” the media giant said that Trump will “appoint judges to the Supreme Court to turn back the legalization of same-sex marriage and supporting state-sanctioned discrimination against transgender people.”
“If I’m elected I would be very strong in putting certain judges on the bench that maybe could change things, but they have a long way to go,” said Trump.
Trump and Pence disagree with promoting LGBT rights on the global stage, and neglect to address the immigration crisis of those seeking asylum from anti-LGBTQ policies in Russia and all over the world.
Clearly, there is a wide disparity in the amount of support shown by each candidate. It seems almost undisputable that Clinton is more of a champion for LGBTQ rights than Trump.
Trump, on the other hand, presents himself strongly against the advancement of human rights in the international community.
Most importantly, the candidate is elected will set a tone for the country and the world. Electing a politician who stands opposed to the LGBTQ community can have far-reaching repercussions for all.