I had the opportunity on Sunday to speak to the Chicago PFLAG group. The talk was titled, “How can you be a gay Republican?” I thought of recording it and posting it in podcast format, but the setting was so intimate that the “speech” was fairly informal. This was my first PFLAG meeting, not only did I present, but I was invited to participate in the small group discussions. The Chicago group is made up of a diverse set of parents handling the “gay issue,” young people seeking guidance on the coming-out process and older people wrestling with non-acceptance by family members.
Republicans are “republican” for many reasons. I’m a Republican because I identify with the party on Libertarian economic policy (free trade, low taxes and limited government). Stemming from the limited government tact, government has no role managing social policy. Sexuality is a private issue that doesn’t need government interference. What I attempted to do was shine some light on why the party seems to ostracize the GLBT community. And in doing so bring to the surface that Republicans do actually support GLBT issues, its just that the Christian Right is very vocal minority. The other segments of the GOP pie are supportive of GLBT rights, its just that they are so splintered its hard for their voices to be heard. I also assured the PFLAG group that the strength of the Christian Right is weakening, and that they are loosing their stranglehold on the voice and direction of the Republican Party, its just a matter of time.
The data and observations of who make up the GOP come from Tony Fabrizio of Fabrizio McLaughlin and Associate. Tony presented his findings while I was in DC for a Log Cabin Trustee “fly-in.” He delivered a condensed version of the presentation, “The Elephant Looks in the Mirror 10 Years Later”.
Among the poll’s findings (excerpted from LCR email/ press release): Continue reading ‘“Gay and Republican” My Speech to PFLAG’
Recent Comments