Republican National Committee chairman: the new GOP platform is not anti-LGBT
The chairman of the Republican National Committee is trying to claim that the new Republican platform is not anti-LGBT.
Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican National Committee, is trying to convince people the party’s proposed platform isn’t anti-LGBT.
The platform, which the Log Cabin Republican group called “the most anti-LGBT Platform in the Party’s 162-year history,” calls for the US Supreme Court ruling on equal marriage to be reversed, opposes transgender rights legislation, and supports parents who wish to give “treatment or therapy” to their LGBT children.
However, in an interview with the Associated Press, Mr Priebus denies the endorsement of ‘gay cure’ therapy by the GOP and insists that its “not in the platform”.
The text of the platform reads: “We support the right of parents to determine the proper treatment or therapy, for their minor children.”
Mr Priebus furthers his claims that the party is accepting of the LGBT community by pointing out that gay businessman Peter Thiel will be speaking at the convention.
“I can’t win this race if I tell people that they’re not welcome in our party,” he said in the interview. “He’s been a good help to our party and many candidates across the country. He’s a good Republican. He’s welcome in our party. Period.”
The one thing Mr Priebus isn’t trying to deny is his party’s firm opposition to marriage equality.
Reversing the supreme court’s decision to legalise same-sex marriage is still “one of the bedrock issues of our party,” according to the chairman.
“We’re still a party that believes that marriage is between one man and one woman, but it doesn’t mean that we’re going to kick people out.”
The new platform requests control over marriage legislation return to the states and says the government should recognise marriage as between one man and one woman and “actively promote married family life as the basis of a stable and prosperous society.”
