The BIDEN RECORD
For four decades, Joe Biden has OPPOSED GAY RIGHTS advancements.
1-Biden opposed security clearances for gays
While speaking to constituents in 1973, Senator Biden said, “My gut reaction is that they [homosexuals] are security risks.” The issue came up as gay rights activists were pushing against a ban on homosexuals holding government jobs.
2-Failed to Acknowledge first openly gay cabinet member.
There is no record of Joe Biden acknowledging the historic appointment of Richard Grenell to the Cabinet.
3-Senator Biden supported Don’t Ask Don’t Tell
In 1993, Joe Biden voted in favor of H.R. 2401 (National Defense Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 1994) which codified the military’s Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy concerning gays in the military.
4- Senator Biden supported and DOMA
Biden reiterated his support for the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in 2004, stating, “This has long been a state issue, and it should remain that way.” In 1996 Biden voted for the law, which defined marriage as between men and women for federal purposes, and explicitly permitted states to refuse to recognize same-sex unions in other states (HR 3396, Defense of Marriage Act).
5-Senator Biden voted to cut of federal funds to any school that teaches acceptance of homosexuality
In 1994, Biden voted with other senators to cut aid to schools with a pro-gay stance and cut federal funds to any school teaching “acceptance of homosexuality as a lifestyle.”
6-Biden said again and again he was against marriage equality
In 2006, Biden told CNN: “Look, marriage is between a man and a woman. Tell me why [a constitutional marriage amendment] has to be put in the Constitution now? We already have a federal law that has not been challenged. No one’s declared it unconstitutional. It’s the law of the land, saying marriage is between a man and a woman.”
In June 2006 on NBC’s Meet The Press, Biden reiterated his opposition to gay marriage. “You know, think about this. The world’s going to Hades in a handbasket,” Biden told anchor Tim Russert. ” I can’t believe the American people can’t see through this. We already have a law, the Defense of Marriage Act. We’ve all voted—not, where I’ve voted, and others have said, look, marriage is between a man and a woman and states must respect that. Nobody’s violated that law, there’s been no challenge to that law. Why do we need a constitutional amendment? Marriage is between a man and a woman.”
During the 2008 presidential campaign, Biden maintained his opposition to gay marriage. “I have to ask you this because it does affect me and my family directly,” Biden was asked at a campaign event in Iowa in 2007. “But if, in the next five years, if you’re president, do you see gay marriage in the future?”
Biden responded: “I don’t. Here’s what I do see. I see an absolute guarantee of civil union with the exact same rights. Now, here’s the dilemma. Here’s the dilemma. The truth of the matter is states have made legal, through licensing, the performance of marriage what religions have essentially consecrated. That’s how they view it.”
During the October 2008 vice presidential debate, Biden vowed that “in an Obama-Biden administration, there will be absolutely no distinction from a constitutional standpoint or a legal standpoint between a same-sex and a heterosexual couple,” but that “[neither] Barack Obama nor I support redefining from a civil side what constitutes marriage.” Moderator Gwen Ifill pressed: “Let’s try to avoid nuance, senator. Do you support gay marriage?” Biden answered simply, “no.”
Biden did not change his position on same-sex marriage until May 2012, almost 40 years after his election to the U.S. Senate, three and a half years after his election as vice president, and six months before the upcoming 2012 election.
The TRUMP RECORD
President Trump has done MORE TO ADVANCE & PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF GAY AND TRANS people in three years, than Joe Biden did in 40 plus years in Washington.
7-Trump publicly supported gay and trans rights from the beginning
In his Republican National Convention acceptance speech, he referred to the Pulse nightclub shooting in which “the terrorist targeted our LGBTQ community. No good. And we’re going to stop it. As your president, I will do everything in my power to protect our LGBTQ citizens from the violence and oppression of a hateful foreign ideology. Believe me.” When the crowd cheered and clapped, he added, unscripted: “And I have to say, as a Republican, it is so nice to hear you cheering for what I just said. Thank you.”
8-Trump has made HIV funding a priority
Trump has pledged for increased HIV support. In 2019, Trump announced a goal to end the HIV epidemic in the US within ten years.
9-Trump has nominated many gay citizens to high positions in his administration and in the judiciary
Trump nominated the first openly gay man to a Cabinet position, Richard Grenell. He also appointed openly gay judges and ambassadors including Mary Rowland, Patrick J. Bumatay, Robert Gilchrist, Randy Berry, Eric Nelson, and Jeff Daigle.
10-Trump launched the first global initiative to decriminalize homosexuality worldwide
In September 2019, President Trump gave a speech before the UN calling for a global initiative to decriminalize homosexuality in 69 nations where it remains illegal. In nine countries, people can still be put to death for homosexuality: Afghanistan, Brunei, Iran, Mauritania, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, United Arab Emirates, Sudan (*in July 2020 Sudan removed the death penalty but still imprisons gays).
11-Trump’s Supreme Court justices have ruled for equality for gay and trans people
Trump Supreme Court appointee, Justice Neil Gorsuch, wrote the majority opinion that protected and safeguarded every citizen’s civil rights equally, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, in a 2020 Supreme Court case. The ruling in effect protects gay and trans people under federal law from workplace discrimination.
12-Trump is the first president in American history to be pro-gay marriage from his first day in office
In November 2016, after the election and before his inauguration, Trump told 60 Minutes that gay marriage was a “settled” issue and that he’s “fine with it.”
13-Trump left the U.N. Human Rights Council over LGBT and other issues
Trump withdrew the U.S. from the U.N. Human Rights Council because nations that oppress, jail, and murder women and homosexuals were also permitted on the Council. The Administration saw the Council as a hypocritical and useless body.
13-Trump denied money to the Iranian regime, and Hezbollah, among the most violently hostile in the world to sexual minorities, while the Obama/Biden administration gave them billions of dollars.
“President Trump on Tuesday traded fiery accusations with Iran’s president on the floor of the U.N. General Assembly, calling on the international community to isolate the regime . . . “The U.S. has launched a campaign of economic pressure to deny the regime the funds it needs to advance its bloody agenda,” [Trump] said.” Fox News, September 25, 2018, https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-trades-fire-with-iranian-leader-at-un-general-assembly
“The Trump administration has made getting tough on Iran the centerpiece of its foreign policy, and it has often called out the oppression of the regime.” Story: “The Trump administration reportedly wants to push countries to decriminalize homosexuality,” Vox, February 19, 2019, https://www.vox.com/world/2019/2/19/18232163/trump-administration-grenell-decriminalize-lgbt
“Pompeo: US will ‘crush’ Iranian and Hezbollah operatives,” Times of Israel, May 21, 2018, https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/pompeo-us-will-crush-iranian-and-hezbollah-operatives/
“Obama-era cash traced to Iran-backed terrorists,” The Washington Times, February 27, 2018, https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/feb/7/inside-the-ring-obama-era-cash-traced-to-iran-back/
14-Joe Biden admits he will return to working with anti-gay regime as president
“Former Vice President Joe Biden, for one, has said he will return to the agreement only once Iran is in compliance. But he’s also pledged to find a way to ‘strengthen and extend it.’ A senior Biden campaign adviser said the former vice president knows a lot can change by 2021, but he sees pledging a return to the 2015 agreement as, among other things, an important signal to send to U.S. allies in Europe who are furious over Trump’s abandonment.” Story: “Democrats want to rejoin the Iran nuclear deal. It’s not that simple,” Politico, July 20, 2019, https://www.politico.com/story/2019/07/20/iran-nuclear-deal-democrats-1424113
FALSE CLAIMS AGAINST TRUMP-THE FACTS
FALSE CLAIM 1: Trump’s DOJ opposed protecting gay and trans people from workplace discrimination
Fact Check: Congress, under either party, never passed a workplace law explicitly protecting people from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Trump’s DOJ investigated whether these categories were already covered by Title IX as passed in 1972, and found that, according to the explicit language of Title IX, they were not covered. The Trump administration deferred to the five-decade interpretation of the law, and to Congress to pass a law. Before that happened, Trump’s Supreme Court appointee, Justice Gorsuch, wrote the majority opinion in a case that decided that references to “sex” in Title IX include sexual orientation and gender identity after all, effectively making this type workplace illegal under federal law. The DOJ is part of the executive branch, which is charged with law enforcement, not law interpretation. SCOTUS clarified the law for the DOJ.
FALSE CLAIM 2: Trump banned transgender persons from serving in the military
Fact Check: Trump’s Executive Order does not ban transgender Americans from serving openly in the military, only those currently undergoing medical intervention for gender dysphoria. This is in-line with almost all existing military policy regarding personnel who require prolonged medical care, including diabetics, and people undergoing treatment for mental health issues. In other words, if a person is in need of ongoing, regular medical intervention, they cannot enlist. The ban on transgender persons (or more specifically, transsexuals) in the military had been in effect under the Obama administration for nearly all eight years, until June 2016 when Obama made the sudden decision to lift the ban ahead of the 2016 election. Trump reversed course specifically on the issue of medical concerns in relation to military readiness.
Executive Order full text
Obama lifts trans military ban:
FALSE CLAIM 3: Trump restricted the ability of gay people to adopt
Fact Check: There are many LGBT-friendly agencies across the country, and no shortage of children needing families. Today there are over half a million children in foster homes. Only about 135,000 manage to get adopted each year. Forcing most religious foster agencies to close as Democrats proposals would have done would have left tens of thousands of children in foster homes, without increasing the number of adoptions by adoptive gay parents. Allowing a small number of religious agencies to operate within their belief systems, and keep the adoption pathway wider does not restrict the ability of gay Americans to become foster parents.
FALSE CLAIM 4: Trump Administration opposition to Equality Act endangers equality
Fact Check: The Equality Act does not advance true equality in our diverse society; rather, it seeks to impose a leftist uniformity of thought, punish dissent, and actually endangers some non-discrimination civil rights under Title IX of the Civil Rights Act. The Log Cabin Republicans (as well as women’s rights activists) also oppose the Equality Act as written, and sent a letter to Mitch McConnell stating its opposition, signed by many gay and trans Americans across the country who believe in freedom for all. The Equality Act is grossly vague, overreaching, and infringes on religious freedom, freedom of conscience, and freedom of speech.
FALSE CLAIM 5: Trump told U.S. Embassies they could not fly Pride flags during Pride Month
Fact Check: Four U.S. embassies requested to fly the Pride flag in June 2019. The State Department permitted embassies to fly the flag as long as it wasn’t on the main flagpole, where only the U.S. flag that stands for the whole nation, and no other flag, is permitted to fly. Embassies were allowed to hang the flag elsewhere on the property if they wanted.
FALSE CLAIM 6: Trump refused visas to same-sex partners of diplomats based on sexual orientation
Fact Check: Married same-sex partners of diplomats may receive visas as with their straight counterparts. For national security reasons, unmarried partners of diplomats, gay or straight, are not permitted visas.
FALSE CLAIM 7: Trump denied transgender women in prisons the same rights as other women
Fact Check: In 2016 four female prisons sued the federal government for being forced to be housed with transgender inmates of the opposite sex, claiming their constitutional rights were violated. The Bureau of Prisons then rescinded the Obama-era policy that forced female inmates in federal prison to be housed with biological males. The current policy gives the right to refuse to share intimate facilities with members of the opposite sex the same weight as the right to refuse the same with members of the same sex.
FALSE CLAIM 8: Trump used Title IX to unfairly discriminate against trans students
Fact Check: Trump rescinded a directive from the Obama administration that threatened to withhold federal funding for schools that did not allow students to use the restrooms and locker rooms, and join sex-segregated sports, based on the gender self-identity. The Obama rule did not clarify how sex-segregation could still be protected for women’s sports, and strangely only allowed persons to refuse to share intimate facilities with members of the same sex, but not the same right to refuse to share the same with members of the opposite sex – without explanation, turning Title IX inside out without congressional consent, and making it impossible for women, including transwomen, to be secure in women-only facilities. The Obama directive did not require any parental consent or advice from medical professionals or counselors. The Trump administration kicked the issue back to the local level.