HRC: Romney-Ryan Ticket Out of Touch with Americans on LGBT Equality

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FORIMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 11, 2012
Dan Rafter



Romney-Ryan Ticket Out of Touch withAmericans on LGBT Equality
Paul Ryan does not support LGBT families;hate crime protections; marriage equality; open military service
Washington – The HumanRights Campaign – the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendercivil rights organization – is responding today to Mitt Romney’s selection ofRep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) as his running mate. Ryan’s voting record in Congress –and his public remarks – make it clear that he does not support the dignity ofLGBT Americans; a matter on which he is out-of-touch with the majority ofAmericans – even those within the Republican Party.

Paul Ryandoes not support LGBT families, and has voted against allowing gay and lesbiancouples to adopt. He voted against hate crime protections. He opposed repealing“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” and he does not support marriage equality. Recentpolling shows just how out-of-touch Ryan’s positions on LGBT equality are:support for marriage equality stands at 54 percent nationwide, with thosebetween the ages of 18 – 34 supporting marriage equality by 73 percent; accordingto a June CNN/ORC International Survey. Nearly 50 percent of Republicansunder the age of 35 also support marriage equality, accordingto an NBC News/WSJpoll.

"Ryan'srecord of voting against fairness, dignity and equality is out of touch withthe majority of Americans and a fast growing majority of Republicans,"said HRC President Chad Griffin. "LGBT Americans need leadership that willcontinue to fight for their rights to protect their families, marry the personthey love, and enjoy equal protections under the law."

MittRomney’s record is no better than Ryan’s on matters of LGBT equality. Romneydoes not support relationship recognition for LGBT people – making him evenmore conservative on LGBT issues than former President George W. Bush, whosupported civil unions while in office. Romney views workplace protections forLGBT people as an “unfair burden on employers,” and he does not acknowledge thedignity and respect LGBT families deserve. As a signer of the NationalOrganization for Marriage’s (NOM) “marriage pledge,” Mitt Romney has committedhimself to vigorously pursuing a federal marriage amendment – a goal hisrunning mate shares; defending the Defense of Marriage Act; and even setting upa McCarthy-like commission to investigate those who do not support NOM’santi-LGBT views.

In theHouse, Ryan voted against hate crimes protections for LGBT people twice. Hedoes not support marriage equality – in fact, he has twice supported the FederalMarriage Amendment that would ban loving, committed same-sex couples frommarrying, and he supported a similar constitutional amendment in his home stateof Wisconsin. Ryan does not support LGBT families – he voted in favor ofbanning gay and lesbian couples from adopting in the nation’s capital. He alsovoted against repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

Learn moreabout Paul Ryan’s anti-LGBT votes via HRC’s CongressionalScorecards. For more on Mitt Romney’s anti-LGBT positions, visit www.hrc.org/romney.

TheHuman Rights Campaign is America's largest civil rights organization working toachieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring andengaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizensand realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.
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