US Democrats have officially outlined their commitments to the LGBTQ+ community ahead of this year’s presidential election. Their political priorities across various areas are detailed in their 2024 Party Platform, published on Sunday, August 18.
“For generations, LGBTQI+ Americans have summoned the courage to live authentically and proudly, even when it meant putting their lives and livelihoods at risk,” the document reads in ‘Chapter Six: Strengthening Democracy, Protecting Freedoms, & Advancing Equity’.
“LGBTQI+ Americans continue to inspire and bring hope to all people seeking a life true to who they are, and to enrich every aspect of American life. But the fight for equality is far from over, as the LGBTQI+ community continues to face attacks and bigotry in states across the country.
“Democrats are committed to defending LGBTQI+ rights.”
The Platform goes on to detail President Joe Biden’s achievements to date, including signing the Respect for Marriage Act, introducing protections against discrimination, allowing gay and bisexual men to donate blood, reversing Donald Trump Jr’s ban on transgender people serving in the military, and more. It adds that the party is dedicated to continuing this progress, stating: “When a person can be married in the morning and thrown out of a restaurant for being gay in the afternoon, something is still wrong.”
Democrats are committing to passing the Equality Act “to codify protections for LGBTQI+ Americans and their families”, prohibiting employment discrimination in the government and making federally-funded seniors programs LGBTQ+-inclusive.
“We have and will continue to make great strides in protecting LGBTQI+ children and prospective parents in the adoption and foster care systems,” they added. They also are committing to “expand mental health and suicide prevention services for LGBTQI+ people”, oppose bans on gender-affirming healthcare and protect queer youth from bullying. They also want to continue to fight to end the homeless crisis among LGBTQ+ young people.
The last commitment the party makes is to “end violence against transgender Americans, especially Black and brown transgender women, and prioritize the investigation of hate crimes against trans and non-binary people.”
In other areas of the Party Platform, Democrats address the issues of gun violence, the climate crisis, racial equity, reproductive rights and more.
It also references the ongoing violence in Palestine, where over 40,000 people have been killed since Israel launched its military offensive following the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. While in the document Democrats pledge for a peace deal that would help Gaza rebuild, it does not commit to ending the US’ supply of weapons to Israel.
The Party Platform will be voted on at the Democratic National Convention, taking place in Chicago from August 19 to 22. At the event, Kamala Harris will also officially accept the party’s presidential candidate nomination alongside her VP pick, Tim Walz.
Together, we will fight for the promise of America’s future. Tune in now to watch the first night of the Democratic National Convention. https://t.co/FFbmGUzAOS
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) August 19, 2024
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