I stopped watching the VP debate midway through because Pence was out-opticking Kaine by channeling Reagan’s affability—while doing a Jedi-like “that Trump is not the Trump you see.” Kaine was too aggressive next to Pence’s cool and creepy use-Christian-values-to-lie-my-ass-off shtick.
But before I turned it off, I was also irritated by the lack of direct questioning on LGBTQ rights.
I mean, Mike Pence, right? Surely that topic would come up……..
This essay by Lucas Grindley at The Advocate says it all. Please read it. It’s very good.
Here is the opening:
It’s still sinking in: Mike Pence’s discrimination against LGBT people as governor of Indiana wasn’t deemed important enough to discuss during the vice-presidential debate Tuesday.
How can that be?
Pence is still the governor of Indiana. He signed the so-called Religious Freedom Restoration Act just last year. It was among the most famous of these laws, but similar ones have been proposed across the country. The effect of such legislation is that businesses can legally refuse service to LGBT people merely by citing their religious beliefs.
The Pence version of the RFRA was partly repealed in Indiana, but an even more draconian version of the law passed in Mississippi; it's now been blocked by a federal court. No one could blame the LGBT people of Mississippi if they’re feeling a little invisible today.
Honestly, I feel a little insulted that as my community faces a wave of discrimination, we were ignored.
Sometimes it feels like the world read about the Supreme Court’s ruling on marriage equality and just checked a box; the gays are fine now.
Has the media already forgotten that, just a few months ago, a man went into the Pulse nightclub and killed 49 people in an incredibly bloody act of hate against LGBT people? I haven’t forgotten. Orlando Pride is later this week. Trust me that no one there has forgotten.
Grindley goes on to recount an experience he had this past weekend at the Blue Ridge Pride festival in NC—and how this experience is so common for us at almost all Pride events: the ever-present “preachers” who gather to mock and condemn us, waving their signs condemning us to hell, stomping on rainbow flags, outraged that we should be proud of our hearts and not ashamed of them, not mortified by who we love.
Pence and his fellow mean-Christians in public office (as opposed to the Christian-Christians, who Grindley acknowledges) embolden this kind of hate that we still have to endure. Thankfully, our community encourages a healthy irreverence so we’re good at mocking back, but still… This is America. We are equal citizens.
Pence represents a toxic religiosity, one that has plagued this country since its founding—and which alienated founders like Franklin and Jefferson and Adams. It’s a virus that has been with us from the beginning.
It should be called out. Pence’s promotion of LGBTQ discrimination should be called out. I like Elaine Quijano, but she neglected a big one here.
So here’s hoping that LGBTQ equality—and Trump’s VP’s opposition to it—will be raised in the debate this Sunday.
It really really really should.
Edited to add this brilliant Samantha Bee introduction to Mike Pence. Oh how I wish Quijano and Kaine had watched this prior to the debate. “Reasonable” my ass.