Notoriously anti-LGBT Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin told CNN on Monday that the Republican Party’s platform isn’t anti-LGBT because “there were gay people on the platform committee.”
As we’ve reported, the Republican Party’s 2016 platform is staunchly anti-LGBT: it opposes marriage equality, endorses anti-trans bathroom bills, says every child deserves a “married mom and dad”, and supports the harmful practice of conversion therapy.
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And while advocates of LGBT rights tried to steer the platform committee towards slightly less homophobic territory, they have since given up.
Talking about the perception that the platform is anti-LGBT, Fallin, co-chair of the platform committee, said the committee and the party are focused on, “How can we make America great and stand for the human rights of all people, not just one segment, one class, one race, one preference, but for all people in the United States.”
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Asked what she would say to gay people who don’t feel included in the platform, Fallin responded, “Well, there were gay people on the platform committee themselves and we respect that. We’re an inclusive party; we’re a big tent.”
She added, “The main thing is, we think all human beings, no matter who you are, deserve respect, deserve equal treatment, and should be respected in all that we do, and be protected,”
Raw Story notes that the one openly LGBT person on the platform committee has not exactly endorsed the anti-LGBT planks the GOP is touting:
“[…] the LGBT person on the platform committee, Rachel Hoff, has already said publicly that her experience on the committee and the platform the GOP has put out makes her want to leave the Republican Partyfor the first time in her life.
The Daily Beast reported last week that Hoff might be an out LGBT person, but the committee itself is comprised mostly of anti-LGBT loons. Including one Baptist Deacon, who took out a newspaper ad claiming homosexuality is “killing people 2 to 3 times the rate of smoking.”
Of the party’s big gay problem, GOP chair Reince Preibus said, “We’re still a party that believes that marriage is between one man and one woman, but it doesn’t mean that we’re going to kick people out. I can’t win this race if I tell people that they’re not welcome in our party.”
Watch Fallin justify the GOP’s homophobia, below.
You can also watch out Hoff talk about the platform’s anti-LGBT language, here:
