OP-ED PGN
This election, it’s about taxes and jobs for LGBT community Taxes. Could you imagine a Jew or riage equality, Romney promised to treat Catholic voting for a candidate who was the LGBT community equally. However, opposed to Catholics marrying Jews, or Romney refused to allow birth certificates interracial marriage? Republican presifor children of LGBT couples to list both dential nominee Mitt Romney says marparents. Family and childcare is an LGBT riage is for one man and one woman, not issue. Romney’s action was heartless and you, and goes on to say that if elected, insensitive to children. he will use his office to keep the Defense Voting rights. While the Obama administration has championed a host of trans of Marriage Act in force, denying you more than 1,000 basic rights, including issues, Romney hasn’t even uttered the tax rights. Taxes are an LGBT word “transgender.” But he issue. Romney will deny you does have a record. He supyour tax rights, and Obama ported the new Republicanwill fight to get you the same sponsored voter-registration tax relief heterosexual married laws that sprung up in 29 couples already have. states, many of which would Jobs. Can you imagine an make it almost impossible for African-American voting a transperson to vote. Voting rights is an LGBT issue. for a candidate who would not defend him/her from Public safety. The first job employment discriminaof any president is to secure tion? Well, Romney states the safety of all Americans. that nondiscrimination is a Romney has opposed the inclustate’s right, and refuses to sion of sexual orientation and gender identity in hate-crimes endorse the Employment laws. Romney does not care Nondiscrimination Act, which Mark Segal about your safety. Public safety would stop discrimination is an LGBT issue. against the LGBT community. Bullying. While the presidential chalJobs are an LGBT issue and Romney, by refusing to publicly speak up, is antilenger speaks out against bullying, he has LGBT nondiscrimination. not endorsed a single piece of legislation Economy. When LGBT health, youth anywhere in the nation that deals with and senior organizations receive federal bullying. And, as a student, he personally funding to supply needed services to our bullied a fellow student who was believed community, those organizations spend to be gay. What did he do? While the dollars in our community to provide other boy was held down by Romney’s everything from medicine to shelters. That friends, Romney pulled out scissors and is millions of dollars of LGBT economic cut his hair. Was it a spur-of-the-moment empowerment. Romney has offered no act, as he has said? How many people economic program for the LGBT commu- walk around with a pair of scissors? nity. Economics is an LGBT issue. President Obama has done more for Women’s health. Most of this camLGBT equality than any other president paign has been devoted to women’s health in our nation’s history, and than all of the issues, and recent studies indicate that other presidents combined. If you’re votlesbian women are more at risk for breast ing for jobs, vote for the candidate who cancer than heterosexual women. One will not discriminate against you or your way to combat breast cancer is through community. If you are voting for tax mammograms. Romney will cut funding equality, there is only one candidate. If to the largest provider of mammograms you are voting for public security, there in the nation, Planned Parenthood. He is only one candidate. If you want to vote with your head held high and with pride, has not even spoken word one on LGBT health issues. Women’s health is an LGBT there’s only one vote: President Barack Obama. ■ issue. Romney, by his silence, is against your health. Mark Segal, PGN publisher, is the nation’s Family and childcare. Family values have been an issue in this race. most-award-winning commentator in LGBT As he sought to become governor of media. He can be reached at mark@epgn.com. Massachusetts, a state that legalized mar-
Mark My Words
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Nov. 2-8, 2012
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Street Talk Should there have been any mention of LGBT issues at the debates? “No. It was a smart move on Obama’s part to avoid bringing that up. Unfortunately, it’s still a divisive issue. I really think Gavin Austin it would have student cost Obama Washington Square some support West if he brought it up. I give Romney credit for not trying to use it as a wedge against Obama.”
“Yes. I would have liked it touched upon, even briefly. It shouldn’t have been ignored completely. There was no Michael Grant acknowledge- student ment whatCenter City soever. That didn’t sit well with me. I would have appreciated some clarity about their positions on LGBT issues.”
“Yes. We’re a significant part of the population. There’s an ongoing national discussion about our rights. The Emmanuel debates Ilarraza should have jeweler reflected that. South Philadelphia Instead, it was like we didn’t exist. Or that nobody’s been listening to us for all these years.”
“Yes. I think it would have helped Obama if Romney was asked about his position on LGBT rights. Romney’s Angela Peterdi true colors student would have Bella Vista been exposed. He’s opposite of where a lot of people stand on the issue. I’m for Obama.”
Letters and Feedback Row-office candidates matter In this high-media election, it is easy to pay attention only to the races at the top. It is easy to understand the difference between President Obama and Gov. Romney on LGBT equality. It is easy to figure out which Congressional candidate is best suited to represent our community. But there are three races this year that are a bit more complex, and yet have an incredible amount of importance to the future of LGBT equality in Pennsylvania. If we want to win marriage equality in Pennsylvania, then having statewide elected officials who support marriage equality is an important starting place. Currently, we have just one, State Treasurer Rob McCord. But after this election, we have the possibility of three: Treasurer McCord, Attorney General candidate Kathleen Kane and Auditor General candidate Eugene DePasquale. All three are endorsed by Equality Pennsylvania. For anyone wondering why these seats
matter, please remember that all three offices are independently elected and, to varying degrees, are able to hold Gov. Corbett accountable. Also, please remember that all three of these candidates could seek higher office at some point. McCord, Kane and DePasquale all support marriage equality, LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination and LGBT-affirming anti-bullying policies in public schools, and they have all been public about their support for our issues. If they all win, it will mean that every Pennsylvania row office will have our communities’ interest in mind. We need to re-elect Barack Obama, and we need to support our great candidates for the PA House, Senate and the U.S. Congress, but we can’t forget about our row office candidates. Please support them on Election Day. Adrian Shanker President. Equality Pennsylvania