GLAAD RESPONDS TO KAMALA HARRIS ACCEPTING THE NOMINATION FOR U.S. PRESIDENT AND INCLUSION OF LGBTQ PEOPLE IN ACCEPTANCE SPEECH

GLAAD, the world’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) media advocacy organization, is responding to Vice President Kamala Harris accepting the nomination of her party for President of the United States tonight.

Harris included LGBTQ Americans in her acceptance speech among the fundamental freedoms at stake in the election: “The freedom to live safe from gun violence in our schools, communities, and places of worship. The freedom to love who you love openly and with pride. The freedom to breathe clean air and drink clean water and live free from the pollution that fuels the climate crisis. And the freedom that unlocks all of the others, the freedom to vote.”

GLAAD has documented Harris’ LGBTQ record here. 

GLAAD has tracked the LGBTQ record of Harris’ runningmate, Gov. Tim Walz, here.

GLAAD has tracked nearly 350 moves for LGBTQ Americans made by the Biden-Harris administration, here.

Statement from GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis (she/her):
“Kamala Harris’ nomination for President is a groundbreaking moment for our nation, including for marginalized communities too often left out of the promise of liberty and justice for all. This historic milestone shows that diversity is embraced as a strength driving our country forward. LGBTQ people are an essential part of the American story. As the campaign moves ahead, candidates and reporters must accurately include LGBTQ people and all marginalized voices in conversations about a future where we are all more free and welcome to contribute to our country’s success.”

Additional research:

• LGBTQ voters made the deciding difference in the 2020 election and are poised to do so again in 2024. More than 1 in 5 Gen Z Americans (ages 18-26) are out as LGBTQ, the most out generation in history. Nearly 30% of Gen Z women are LGBTQ.
• GLAAD’s Accelerating Acceptance Study shows supermajority support for LGBTQ people, though support has dipped in the last year and Gen Z is increasingly a target for harassment and discrimination:
  • 80% of non-LGBTQ Americans support LGBTQ equal rights, down from a record high of 84% one year ago
  • 95% of non-LGBTQ Americans believe schools should be safe and accepting for all youth
  • 93% say children should be taught to appreciate and accept people as they are
  • 70% of Gen Z LGBTQ adults report discrimination based on their sexual orientation

• Donald Trump’s anti-LGBTQ history is documented on GLAAD’s Trump Accountability Tracker, detailing more than 218 attacks in policy and rhetoric against LGBTQ Americans.

• Trump’s choice for Vice President, Ohio Senator JD Vance, has prioritized attacking LGBTQ people in his less than 18 months in the Senate. Vance’s record is tracked on the GLAAD Accountability Project, here.

• • Donald Trump and JD Vance’s connections to Project 2025, a roadmap for authoritarian takeover of the federal government, criminalization and elimination of abortion and birth control, and elimination of LGBTQ protections and recognitions, are documented here.

• GLAAD’s Guide to the 2024 Elections includes the top issues of the LGBTQ community and best practices for reporters to include and cover LGBTQ people in political conversations.

• GLAAD polling shows LGBTQ registered voters are highly motivated to vote, with 94% indicating they are definitely (83%) or probably (11%) voting this year.
• GLAAD polling shows 53% of both registered and likely 2024 voters say they would oppose “a political candidate [who] speaks frequently about restricting access to health care and participation in sports for transgender youth.”

GLAAD has documented the records of Kamala Harris and Donald Trump on the top issues for LGBTQ voters: the economy (Harris, Trump), abortion (Harris, Trump), climate change (Harris, Trump), public safety (Harris, Trump), and education (Harris, Trump). Trump’s record on  transgender people is available here.