Human Rights Campaign Condemns Texas Republican Party

WASHINGTON – The Human Rights Campaign – the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization – condemned the Texas State Republican Party for including anti-LGBT language in its 2010 State Party Platform. The language, which goes far beyond the usual conservative talking points on “traditional family values,” sinks to a new low of intolerance and hate. In an email to members and supporters nationwide, HRC is calling on RNC Chairman Michael Steele to publicly repudiate the anti-LGBT language in the State Party Platform.

The Platform:

· Calls for making it a felony to issue a marriage license to, or perform a marriage ceremony for same-sex couples;

· Calls on Congress to withhold jurisdiction from the Federal Courts in cases involving family law – a clear violation of the separation of powers in the U.S. Constitution;

· Opposes the recognition of and granting of benefits to domestic partners;

· Opposes any and all employment protections for LGBT people;

· Opposes the legalization of private, consensual sex;

· Indicates possible anti-transgender bias with the terms “natural man” and “natural woman”;

· States: “Homosexuality must not be presented as an acceptable ‘alternative’ lifestyle in our public education and policy, nor should “family” be redefined to include homosexual ‘couples.’”

“Instead of dealing with inequalities, the Texas Republican leadership chose to set their sights on real Texas families by making their party’s platform a piece of anti-LGBT propaganda,” said HRC President Joe Solmonese. “The Texas Republican party is out of touch with the majority of Republicans, including former Vice President Dick Cheney, when it comes to treating LGBT Americans with dignity and respect. RNC Chairman Michael Steele should join us in condemning the Texas State Platform.”

Texas has failed to meet benchmark measures to protect LGBT citizens, including: employment protections, hospital visitation rights, protection in housing, joint-adoption, and relationship recognition. In 2003 the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Texas’ anti-sodomy laws. The 2010 State Republican Party Platform advocates violating this decision and puts Texas even further behind the times.

The outrageous platform doesn’t stop with attacking LGBT citizens. It also calls for: Congress to evict the United Nations from the United States, opposing legislation allowing stem cell research, reversing Roe v. Wade, prohibiting more than three years of bilingual education for students, and repealing the No Child Left Behind law and eliminating the U.S. Department of Education.

The Human Rights Campaign is a bipartisan organization and has endorsed both Republican and Democratic candidates for election.

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.

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