The contrast between the Democratic and Republican conventions has already been stark, but perhaps no distinction stood out more than the attentive inclusion of LGBT people. Almost every speaker last night made at least some passing reference to LGBT equality, including celebrations of the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and endorsements of marriage equality. Several of the speakers, including Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO), DNC Treasurer Andrew Tobias, and DNC CEO Stephen Kerrigan, were openly gay.
Tobias juxtaposed Democratic economic policy with his own experience growing up gay.
TOBIAS: The Democratic Party under the leadership of Barack Obama has dramatically improved the lives of millions of lesbian, gay, transgender and bisexual Americans and at no cost to anyone else.
In college, I thought I was the only guy in the world who liked other guys. Later I found there was someone else like me, our 26-year-old resident tutor. He and I never talked about it at the time. No one talked about being gay back then. People killed themselves over being gay. Tragically, some kids still do. But, the progress we have made. Eight weeks ago, I attended that young tutor’s wedding! To a guy! He and I never talked about it at the time. Love that had been unspeakable 46 years ago was celebrated by hundreds of people—straight and gay, surfers and senators.
In a way, it was a wedding that married my two topics — money and equality — because that young tutor had grown up to become the chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, Barney Frank.
Watch it:
