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Tribune News Service
Tribune News Service
Politics
Eric Garcia

LGBT Republicans try to find their place in Cleveland

Despite concerns about divisive language in the Republican platform, LGBT Republicans still plan to make their voices heard at the convention in Cleveland.

Gregory Angelo, president of the Log Cabin Republicans, has said that the current Republican platform is "the most anti-LGBT platform " the party has had.

"I'm going to the convention with the express purpose of showing that the GOP I know is not the same type of GOP expressed in the platform," Angelo said.

The platform has stricken some of its language supporting so-called "gay conversion therapy" as well as calling for the overturning of the Supreme Court's decision on same-sex marriage.

"Those things are not the priority of the GOP electorate," and also weren't the priorities of presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, he said.

Angelo said this before Trump picked Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as his running mate. Pence has been criticized for signing measures social conservatives said promoted religious freedom but many in the LGBT community said would allow for businesses to discriminate against them.

But upon Pence's announcement, Angelo tweeted that he was far less dangerous to the LGBT community as vice president than he was and could be as governor of Indiana.

Trump has frequently said he would be better for the LGBT community than his Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton.

Rachel Hoff, director of defense analysis at American Action Forum, is reported to be the first openly gay person selected as a member of the platform committee. However, language she crafted to be more inclusive was ultimately voted down.

"I did not anticipate it would pass and it did not," she said. Hoff said she has been asked if she would submit a minority report amending the language on marriage, which she is not.

Rather, Hoff said she would be supporting a separate minority report that would strike the whole platform for a one-page statement of principles that doesn't mention marriage but is also strong on equality and religious liberty.

Despite the language in the platform, there will still be activities that are friendly to LGBT Republicans that Log Cabin Republicans and others are planning.

Much like Trump's attempts to spice up the convention with star power, one convention watch party held by the Log Cabin Republicans with the Cuyahoga County GOP will feature former contestants from American Idol and the Voice at an event at Grays Armory, a historic venue in Cleveland.

Doug Magill, communications director for the Cuyahoga County Republican Party, said the Log Cabin Republicans have done a great job bringing in new people to the party.

"They helped up set up a booth at the Gay Games," he said in reference to the event that was held in Cleveland and Akron two years ago.

Adding to the celebrity list, the group will team up with the American Unity Fund, another pro-LGBT rights conservative group, with former Olympic medalist and reality television star Caitlyn Jenner, who came out as transgender last year.

The event will also feature other Ohio-based LGBT groups like the LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland. A spokesman for the center said people it wouldn't be speaking but would just be a supporter of the event.

Angelo said he is still optimistic given the fact the Log Cabin Republicans are a credentialed group.

"As long as someone is supportive of an inclusive and welcoming Republican Party, they are welcome to attend our events," he said.

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