Watch: Clinton, Challenged On Past LGBT Positions, Promises To Make Equality Act ‘Highest Priority’

Hillary Clinton explains her evolution on marriage and her support for LGBT people and their equality, and says her highest priority will be to pass the Equality Act.

Speaking to students at a town hall at Keene State College in New Hampshire, Hillary Clinton was challenged to explain her evolution of same-sex marriage. 

“As a bisexual member of the LGBT community, equal rights have been a very important thing to me,” the student told the former Secretary of State. “You said over the years your views on this topic have evolved. How do you compare yourself to other candidates who have remained firm on their views, and how do you think you’ve done to change from your past views?,” he asked.

Clinton who is having the best week of her campaign in months thanks to her performance at the Democratic debate and new polling numbers from the Granite State, said, “I think if you speak with the Human Rights Campaign or any of the large advocacy groups, they will tell you that they count on my and that you can count on me,” Clinton said, acknowledging that her views had in fact evolved.

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The Democratic frontrunner also pointed to the fact that she was “the first and only First Lady to march in a gay pride parade back in the late 1990’s,” while campaigning for Senator in New York.

“I have been an advocate, a vocal, visible advocate for equality and against discrimination,” Clinton insisted.

“Yes,” she said, returning back to the initial question, “my views did evolve, and I think most people my age would say the same thing,” Clinton responded. “There might be some exceptions, but largely because of my strong opposition to discrimination of any sort and my personal relationships with a lot of people over the years, I certainly concluded that marriage equality should be the law of the land, and I was thrilled when the Supreme Court made it the law of the land.”

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She also promised to “enforce marriage equality” but added, “we’ve got to go further than that.”

“You know, in a lot of states now, because of the constitutional decision, you can get married on Saturday and get fired on Monday because we still permit discrimination in employment and in public accommodations,” the Democratic frontrunner reminded her audience.

We have to pass the Equality Act,” Clinton demanded, saying she would make it her “highest priority.”

The Equality Act would expand the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, it would extend protections to prohibit discrimination in areas like housing, public accommodations, and credit, and would prohibit the use of religion to discriminate, according to the ACLU.

“Marriage isn’t the end of the debate, it’s along the path to true equality, and you will be able to count on me to fight for you,” Clinton promised.

Watch:

 

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Image by Hillary for NH via Twitter
Hat tip: Chris Johnson at The Washington Blade