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2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumMartin O’Malley to lay out comprehensive vision for LGBT rights today
The Washington Blade obtained from his campaign prepared remarks the candidate intends to make at the Iowa Spirit Awards in Des Moines, an event hosted by Iowa Safe Schools that celebrates LGBT youth and educators in the early caucus state.
I am proud to say that we are finally and rightfully having a real debate about how to ensure equality for all LGBTQ Americans, in every part of public life, OMalley says. But as you know, we owe you more than words. We owe you action.
OMalleys speech has two major components: Touting his record on LGBT rights and laying out his plan for the future with a strong emphasis on anti-bullying efforts and federal non-discrimination protections.
The candidate recalls as mayor of Baltimore signing the states first transgender non-discrimination ordinance and in 2014 adding transgender protections to the states civil rights law. But OMalley adds what Im most proud of is standing up for marriage equality as a human right.
And almost exactly three years ago today, we won that fight becoming the first state to successfully defend marriage equality at the ballot box, OMalley says.
On the issue of bullying, OMalley invokes statistics on the challenges faced by LGBT students and says often the most frequent victims of bullying are transgender kids. The candidate pledges to require all schools to implement anti-bullying policies and to face penalties when they dont provide safe environments.
Schools that allow for unlawful discrimination should risk losing federal funding and students who experience harassment, bullying, intimidation, and violence should have a legal cause of action under the law, he says.
OMalley will deliver the speech following news a panel on the Republican-controlled state legislature would investigate the host organization of the event for teaching LGBT youth about safe-sex practices. The candidate rejects the effort as a witch hunt.
The leaders of Iowa Safe Schools came together to educate students and teachers, OMalley says. They joined hands to promote diversity, equality, and social justice. And now, theyre being attacked for trying to make Iowa a more welcoming and inclusive place. In a nation where all of us are entitled to equal rights and protections, this cannot be tolerated.
On the federal non-discrimination protections, OMalley takes note he was the first presidential candidate to endorse the Equality Act, saying first and foremost we must fight to pass the legislation.
I was proud to be the first presidential candidate to endorse this critical legislation because I saw how important our comprehensive non-discrimination legislation had been in Maryland, OMalley says. It is time to end discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodations and education, credit and more as a nation once and for all.
OMalley also decries the recent wave of anti-transgender violence, the treatment of LGBT undocumented immigrants in detention and the high rate of LGBT homeless youth. Among his other pledges are improving the Runaway & Homeless Youth Act to include LGBT youth, eliminating abstinence-only sex education programs, banning ex-gay conversion therapy, ending immigration detention and repealing HIV criminalization laws.
Following a dispute that erupted last week after Hillary Clinton called the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act a defensive act against worse discrimination and Bernard Sanders criticized her for rewriting history, OMalley seeks to rise above the disagreement.
The other candidates might talk about who supported DOMA when but Im talking about what we must do, together, tomorrow, OMalley said.
But in the very next line, OMalley makes a veiled criticism of the candidates for their histories, saying hes actually gone to the mat for LGBTQ rights.
I didnt just believe in marriage equality, I achieved marriage equality, OMalley said. And when I tell you today that we need to provide better and more equitable healthcare to our transgender neighbors, that we must fight for the Equality Act its because Ive done it, as an executive, and I know that it is necessary and that it is possible.
read: http://www.washingtonblade.com/2015/10/30/omalley-to-lay-out-comprehensive-vision-for-lgbt-rights/
read entire speech: http://www.washingtonblade.com/content/files/2015/10/20151028-Spirit-Day-LGBT-Remarks.pdf
Martin O'Malley Calls for Addition of LGBT Employment and Housing Protections in Federal Law
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1251417819
Martin O'Malley first 2016 candidate publicly backing today's Equality Act rollout
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1251470616
Martin O'Malley and the 'Fairness for All Marylanders Act'
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026762544
Martin O'Malley answered questions and addressed issues close to him as he met with the editorial board at the Des Moines Register on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2015. Bryon Houlgrave/The Register
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Martin O’Malley to lay out comprehensive vision for LGBT rights today (Original Post)
bigtree
Oct 2015
OP
FSogol
(45,488 posts)1. K & R. n/t
dsc
(52,162 posts)2. the one thing I would say to him and all other politicians on the issue of schools
is that teachers need to be included along with the students. If teachers fear standing up for students for fear of being perceived of being gay and thus fired, all the laws in the world are going to be of limited use in the districts where the laws are most needed.
Chitown Kev
(2,197 posts)3. K & R
elleng
(130,974 posts)7. You beat me to it again, bigtree,
but can't be too much of a good thing, imo.
askew
(1,464 posts)8. O'Malley continues to show how to lead on issues.
He is speaking in specifics and talking about actions he has taken. Good for him.
hedgehog
(36,286 posts)9. K&R Thank-you!
bigtree
(85,998 posts)10. kick
bigtree
(85,998 posts)11. Proud to be supporting Martin O'Malley tonight
Sarah Austen-Smith ?@austensara 49m49 minutes ago
Proud to be supporting @MartinOMalley tonight, talking LGBT rights in Iowa for the #SpiritAwards @iowasafeschools
Iowa Starting Line ?@IAStartingLine 30m30 minutes ago
@MartinOMalley pushes Equality Act - comprehensive non-discrimination in employment, housing, care #IACaucus
Proud to be supporting @MartinOMalley tonight, talking LGBT rights in Iowa for the #SpiritAwards @iowasafeschools
Iowa Starting Line ?@IAStartingLine 30m30 minutes ago
@MartinOMalley pushes Equality Act - comprehensive non-discrimination in employment, housing, care #IACaucus