HRC Gives Paul Ryan a Zero on LGBT Issues

by Jason St. Amand National News Editor Wednesday August 15, 2012

The Human Rights Campaign gave GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney's vice presidential running mate Paul Ryan a zero percent for his poor track record when it comes to LGBT issues.

Officials from HRC explained that Ryan, Republican representative for Wisconsin, received the goose egg because he voted against several LGBT issues during his political career.

"Ryan's record of voting against fairness, dignity and equality is out of touch with the majority of Americans and a fast growing majority of Republicans," Chad Griffin, HRC's president, said. "LGBT Americans need leadership that will continue to fight for their rights to protect their families, marry the person they love, and enjoy equal protections under the law."

The article points out Ryan voted against allowing same-sex couples to adopt, opposed repealing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" in 2010 and is against gay marriage. According to Think Progress, the politician supported the 2006 ban on same-sex marriage in Wisconsin and voted against federal hate crime laws that would protect on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

Ryan also voted to kill the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, a proposed bill that would protect LGBT employees on the federal level, in 2007 and twice backed the Federal Marriage Amendment, which would prohibit same-sex couples from marrying in the country. He voted three times in the current Congress to reinstate the Defense of Marriage Act as well.

HRC wrote that Romney "is no better than Ryan's on matters of LGBT equality." The organization writes that the former governor of Massachusetts does not support any form of relationship recognition for LGBT people and has signed the National Organization for Marriage's "marriage pledge." NOM is an organization bent on outlawing same-sex marriage in the country.

HRC also created a graphic called, "4 Things You Need to Know About Paul Ryan," which illustrates the politician's views on LGBT issues.

Think Progress notes that Ryan is best known for his proposed revising of the federal budget, which may negatively impact LGBT families as it could cut several public services.

"By selecting Ryan as his running mate, Romney is guaranteeing his commitment to rolling back much of the progress the LGBT community has achieved over the past two decades," Think Progress writes.

According to a June CNN/ORC International Survey 54 percent of Americans support marriage equality. It also found that 73 percent of Americans between the ages 18 and 34 back gay marriage. Additionally, an NBC/WSJ poll showed nearly 50 percent of Republicans under 35 support marriage equality.