An Inconvenient Lie

I cannot tell you how many times I've read and heard variations of this lie: "Donald Trump is more pro-LGBT than anyone who ever ran for President. He's the only presidential candidate who ever mentioned the LGBT community in his convention acceptance speech."

That is a steaming pile of horse shit.

In his 2008 convention acceptance speech, Barack Obama said: "our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters deserve to visit the person they love in a hospital and to live lives free of discrimination" (transcript link here).

In his 2012 convention acceptance speech, Barack Obama said: "I believe we can keep the promise of our founders, the idea that if you’re willing to work hard, it doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from or what you look like or where you love. It doesn’t matter whether you’re black or white or Hispanic or Asian or Native American or young or old or rich or poor, able, disabled, gay or straight, you can make it here in America if you’re willing to try" (transcript link here).

Both statements are uplifting and inclusive, underscoring equality for all LGBT Americans. In contrast, Trump's throwaway mention of the LGBT community was a vague promise to "protect our LGBTQ citizens from the violence and oppression of a hateful foreign ideology," meaning scary Muslim boogeymen. No mention of equality or inclusion or protection against anti-LGBT discrimination.

Obama followed his convention acceptance speeches with a presidency that advanced and protected LGBT civil rights and equality like no other before him. And Trump? Other than temporarily continuing one Obama protection for federal LGBT workers, Trump has vowed to legalize discrimination against LGBT Americans with the hateful, deceptively titled "First Amendment Defense Act" (FADA).