Hillary Clinton has spoken out about the sheer amount of work that needs to be done in order to achieve equality for the LGBT community and has highlighted the ways in which she plans to do it.
Speaking at a gala event for South Carolina Equality last night, Clinton applauded the work that SC Equality have done so far to improve the lives of the LGBT community. She thanked them for changing hearts and minds across the nation and for telling all those individuals struggling with their LGBT identity that “you are perfect just the way you are.”
Clinton asked the audience not to forget how much work there still is to do and stated that work would not be finished until every single person was treated with equal rights and dignity. She noted how she would fight to outlaw discrimination against the LGBT community in employment, public education, housing and access to federal funding.
Clinton also promised better healthcare for the LGBT community, noting the GOP is opposed to proper LGBT healthcare. She also promised to secure a service record for those 14,000 Americans who served in the forces but were dishonourably discharged simply because they were LGBT.
Clinton stated:
“Gay rights are human rights and human rights are gay rights.”
She continued to emphasize her aim of achieving the same rights for the LGBT community as everyone else:
“It is imperative that we understand everyone is entitled to equal treatment under the law and the law needs to recognize the unfinished business of equality and justice in America.”
Clinton stresses how we must overcome what she refers to as “artificial barriers” to fight the “fears and misconceptions” which still exist.
The majority of the “barriers” that Clinton speaks of are supported by the Republican party who she slams during her speech for their “ridiculous and offensive comments” towards the LGBT community. She also spoke of her concerns over the Republican party being against laws to end discrimination and its attempt to prevent same-sex couples from adopting children.
However, Clinton was able to put a humorous spin on a serious topic as she gently mocked Senator Ted Cruz for slamming an opponent for marching in Gay Pride and even joked that he does “not know what he is missing” and should join them at next year’s Gay Pride.
Featured image by Marc Nozell via Flickr under this Creative Commons License.
