A Full Timeline of Mike Pence’s Discrimination Against the LGBT Community
Gregg supports the “four words and a comma” approach for full equality in Indiana
INDIANAPOLIS – As Mike Pence travels to Evansville this morning for a Regional Cities event, his visit might be a little awkward. Evansville has passed an ordinance barring any form of discrimination against the LGBT community. Mike Pence? He has been “studying” the issue of LGBT rights for 152 days. But if the more than 300 businesses calling for LGBT protections is any indicator, the business world does not tolerate discrimination of any kind.
If history were a true compass on where Mike Pence really stands on LGBT rights, it tells Hoosiers that time and again he will side with his ideology and support discrimination against the LGBT community.
“With more than 300 businesses, 70-percent of Hoosiers, and even the media calling for across the board protections for the LGBT community, Mike Pence’s choice to wait until next year to weigh in on one of today’s top issues puts him on the verge of once again embarrassing the state of Indiana,” said Drew Anderson, communications director for the Indiana Democratic Party. “But after putting Indiana in a $250 million economic panic this spring, Hoosiers know this is the kind of political gaming we see from ideologues – not governors. Hoosiers, including those in Evansville, know they deserve better than Mike Pence, a governor who supported discrimination against the LGBT community when he signed RFRA into law, and who refuses to act on issues that could have a lasting economic impact on Indiana.”
Hoosiers know they must fire Mike Pence, and it begins by electing John Gregg as Indiana’s next governor. Gregg adamantly supports the “four words and a comma” approach for across the board protections for LGBT Hoosiers, including public accommodations. Further, Gregg would make all decisions in the best interest of restoring and protecting Indiana’s “Hoosier Hospitality” image while also improving the overall Hoosier economy.
A Timeline of Mike Pence’s Discrimination toward the LGBT Community
2000: During his congressional campaign, Mike Pence said, “Congress should oppose any effort to put gay and lesbian relationships on an equal legal status with heterosexual marriage.”
2000: Pence also supported the reauthorization of the Ryan White Care Act only if federal dollars were excluded from organizations who “celebrate” and “encourage” behavior that facilitates spreading of the HIV virus. Further, Pence supported this reauthorization only if “those institutions provided assistance to those looking to change their sexual behavior”, an off-the-cuff endorsement for ex-gay conversion therapy.
2004: Mike Pence co-sponsored a proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would define marriage as solely between one man and one woman.
2007: Pence voted against the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA).
2010: Mike Pence voted against the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal which allowed LGBT Americans to openly serve their country in military service.
2012: Pence refused to say on the record if he supported a same-sex couple raising a child together.
2014: Gov. Pence supported HJR-3, a bill to add an amendment banning same-sex marriage to Indiana’s Constitution.
2015: Governor Pence signed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act in a closed-door ceremony.
2015: Governor Pence said on ABC’s “This Week” that it was “absolutely not” a mistake to sign RFRA, throwing Indiana into a $250 million economic panic and putting Indiana’s “Hoosier Hospitality” reputation in jeopardy.
2015: Even after his approval rating plummets from RFRA, Mike Pence on July 22 told the media he is “studying” the issue of LGBT rights and whether or not he’d support across the board protections for the LGBT community.
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