Tag Archives: LGBT Women

2016 Presidential Race: Where Do the Candidates Stand With LGBT Women?

With the United States’ 2016 presidential election taking place in November, the five remaining candidates are pushing hard to gain support and establish their policies and viewpoints.

LGBT rights may have been mostly overlooked in favour of immigration and foreign policy (both of which are important) but here, we’ll highlight the candidates’ views and how they may affect LGBT women.


Donald Trump

By far the most controversial candidate in the field, Donald Trump has consistently opposed same-sex marriage. Following the Supreme Court’s ruling that made same-sex marriage legal nationwide, the candidate also said that he would appoint Supreme Court judges who would work to overturn the ruling.

On discrimination, Trump has previously advocated for laws that protect against discrimination based on someone’s sexuality but he has also supported things like the First Amendment Defense Act (FADA) which would prevent legal action being taken upon a person if they acted based upon their religion (e.g a religious store owner would face no repercussions for refusing to serve a gay couple). Trump also supports the defunding of Planned Parenthood.


Ted Cruz

Ted Cruz has been described by some as the most anti-LGBT candidate vying for the presidency as while his stance on same-sex adoption and anti-bullying are unclear, his stance on other LGBT rights has been described by some as ‘harmful’. In addition to working to prevent same-sex couples in Texas from getting married, Cruz has previously stated that he wouldn’t want the federal government to recognise marriage equality and he has opposed protections against discrimination for LGBT people.

Moreover, if elected, Cruz would push to to enact FADA within his first 100 days in office, he believes that being LGBT is a choice, and has also said that it’s “lunacy” to allow children to use bathrooms that reflect their gender identity. He also believes that Planned Parenthood sells body parts and would defund the organisation.


Ben Carson

Ben Carson has also been outspoken about his opposition to LGBT rights, having said that he does not believe that marriage equality is a civil right. Carson has also stated that discrimination claims are often just “political correctness”, he believes Congress should fire judges in support of same-sex marriage, he thinks that being LGBT is a choice (because of prison) and has compared same-sex marriage to bestiality.

Carson doesn’t support adoption by LGBT couples, as he would like to know how it affects the sexual orientation of the adopted child, first. It’s slso unclear where he stands on conversion therapy. Carson is opposed to Planned Parenthood.


John Kasich

During his political career, John Kasich has said that he doesn’t’ support the LGBT “lifestyle”. Kasich opposes same-sex marriage, as well as domestic and partner benefits for LGBT couples and he also voted for the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).

Additionally, Kasich has prevented LGBT couples from obtaining birth certificates for their children and voted against allowing funding for LGBT couples in the District of Columbia to adopt. However, he did require Ohio schools to develop anti-bullying policies. Kasich also supports the defunding of Planned Parenthood.


Marco Rubio

Marco Rubio is another Republican presidential candidate who has been outspoken against same-sex marriage, but he also opposes protections on sexual orientation regarding civil rights laws. The politician also supports FADA, has voted to end the Employment Non-Dismcirnation Act (ENDA) and he has helped to raise money for a backer of conversion therapy.

Moreover, Rubio doesn’t support LGBT couples’ right to adopt children as he doesn’t’ think they should “be part of a social experiment.” Rubio also supports defunding Planned Parenthood.


Hillary Clinton

Although Hillary Clinton has stated that if elected president she would “fight for full federal equality for LGBT Americans”, she has a mixed track record when it comes to LGBT rights. Controversially, Clinton didn’t support same-sex marriage until 2013 and she also supported DOMA and Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (which forbade LGBT people from serving openly in the armed forces). Moreover, her foreign policies particularly regarding drone warfare and intervention, have been called out as they harm LGBT women in other countries.

Clinton has previously supported federal non-discrimination legislation to protect LGBT employees and Clinton supports ending conversion therapy, securing affordable treatment for those living with HIV and Aids and ending discrimination against trans people. Clinton has also been a staunch supporter of women’s rights, and has been endorsed by Planned Parenthood and the Human Rights Campaign.


Bernie Sanders

Like Clinton, it took Bernie Sanders a a while to come around to the idea of same-sex marriage, having not expressed his support for it until 2009. However, Sanders did vote against DOMA and DADT and co-sponsored the Uniting Families Act which would have allowed partners of any legal citizen of the United States to obtain lawful permanent residency.

Additionally, Sanders has voted in favour of ENDA, has co-sponsored the Student Non-Discrimination Act of 2013 and he has also consistently supported women’s rights issues such as the fight for equal pay and access to abortions. Sanders would also expand funding for Planned Parenthood.


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New Report Highlights the Unfair Financial Treatment of Lesbian, Bi, and Trans* Women in America

A recent report carried out in America, has revealed that LGBT women are among those most at risk of poverty in the country.

The findings were released by a coalition of organisations, including the National Women’s Law Center.

Fatima Goss-Graves, the centre’s vice president for education and employment, says the report highlights the challenges most women face. However, the concerns are further magnified for LGBT women of colour, immigrant women, women raising children and transgender women.

“Getting adequate wages, having the supports necessary to both work and care for families, having access to health care – those are concerns that LGBT women are facing and in some cases facing more acutely.”

According to the report, almost 30 percent of bisexual women and 23 percent of lesbian women live in poverty compared to 20 percent of heterosexual women.

There are more than 5 million women in the US who identify as LGBT, and Goss-Graves says discriminatory laws, along with inequitable and outdated policies, compromise their economic security.

She adds some LGBT women are unable to access job-protected leave to care for a sick partner, and others struggle to obtain official identity documents that match the gender they live.

“Transgender women in particular have the problem of it being difficult to access appropriate ID when ID is so crucial in our society to access jobs, to access things like health care.”

Goss-Graves says state and federal policies should be improved to allow LGBT families the same protections and benefits available to others, including health insurance, family leave and child care assistance.

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Paying an Unfair Price: The Financial Penalty for LGBT Women in America

The economic disparities experienced by LGBT women result from the stigma, discrimination, and the legal disadvantages they experience because they are women and because they are LGBT.

The report spotlights how LGBT women face unique challenges in three major areas that dramatically increase their economic insecurity and poverty rates:

JOBS: LGBT women struggle to find and keep good jobs. LGBT women face discrimination when looking for work and while on the job. The result is lower pay and fewer opportunities to advance. Workplaces also may be unwelcoming, hostile, or even physically unsafe. Transgender women face added challenges because they often cannot obtain accurate identity documents necessary for work.

HEALTH: LGBT women face challenges to good health that impact economic security. Healthcare can be more costly for LGBT women because of discriminatory laws, discrimination by providers, insurance exclusions for transgender people, and inadequate reproductive health coverage. The result: LGBT women are at greater risk for health problems that can affect quality of life and threaten their ability to work, and they often must pay higher costs for healthcare.

FAMILY RECOGNITION: Lack of support for LGBT women and their families results in higher costs. In many states, LGBT women still are not able to legally marry their partner or establish legal ties to their children. This means LGBT women may not be able to access affordable health insurance, safety net programs meant to keep families out of poverty, and job-protected leave to care for a sick partner. What’s more, like all women in the United States, LGBT women often are forced by law to make difficult and costly choices that can threaten their family’s economic security. The United States, for example, is the only developed country that does not offer paid parental leave.

Paying an Unfair Price: The Financial Penalty for LGBT Women in America offers broad policy recommendations to help address these harmful disparities and improve the lives of LGBT women.