Cory Booker: Trump administration’s anti-LGBT policies are ‘moral vandalism’
Cory Booker speaks to the Human Rights Campaign
Presidential hopeful Cory Booker has accused the Trump administration of “moral vandalism” over LGBT+ rights.
Two Democratic Presidential hopefuls, Senators Cory Booker and Kamala Harris, were invited to speak to LGBT+ campaigners at the Human Rights Campaign’s 2019 LA Dinner on Saturday (March 30).
In their speeches, the two 2020 challengers both railed at the regressive stances taken by the Trump administration.
Cory Booker: Moral vandalism coming from White House
Booker said: “We have a moment now where there are outrageous things happening. A moral vandalism is coming from this White House and this administration. Demagogues in the White House and administration are working systematically to try and undermine and dismantle LGBTQ rights.
“From the President’s discriminatory ban on transgender Americans serving in the military, to the Department of Justice’s refusal to protect LGBTQ Americans from employment discrimination, to Betsy DeVos’ failure to protect our transgender students.
“Some of you may have what’s recently happening at our border, where just last week, reports came out documenting the rampant, systemic abuse and discrimination of transgender and gay individuals, being detained at a privately-run immigrant detention facility.
“This is not just inhumane, it’s not just unacceptable, but like the rest of this administration’s policies towards LGBTQ Americans, we have a choice to make.
“You can either accept things as they are, or take responsibility for changing them.”
Kamala Harris: Rise in homophobic and transphobic hatred is being fuelled
In her speech, Senator Kamala Harris said: “In our country, we have seen a level of hate rise like we have not seen in a long time, and in these last two and a half years it has received new fuel.
“We have seen the existence of homophobia, transphobia, racism, sexism, antisemitism, Islamophobia, are real in this country, and we must speak that truth.”
She added: “We have seen an administration in our country who claimed they would be a friend of the LGBTQ community, but instead they stood silent when the LGBTQ community was attacked in Chechnya to Egypt.
Kamala Harris speaks to the Human Rights Campaign
“There have been judges nominated who call transgender children ‘proof of Satan’s plan.’ Let’s speak the truth about the hate behind those words, and the need to fight for what represents true justice in our country.
“Let’s speak the truth that it is not justice in our country when you ban men and women from serving their country, who love their country, who are prepared to die for their country.
“Let’s pass the Equality Act in the United States of America, and finally recognise that everyone should be treated equally under the law, including by our federal government.”
HRC will hold a candidates’ forum on LGBT+ issues for the full field of 2020 Democratic challengers in October.
