365Gay Agenda Blog

Tammy Baldwin is a member of Congress from Wisconsin - and helped write the party platform.

“When 2006 came upon us and we saw a new majority in the House and Senate, it made a difference - imagine sitting in the House chamber watch the historic vote on the Matthew Shepard Act, and then looking up into the gallery and seeing Judy Shepard - that’s the kind of difference an election can make.

“As we debated on the House floor and struggle to pass an inclusive ENDA, we did it under the shadow of veto threats … but we’re going to love President Obama’s statements of policy.

“In 1980, we wrote the first suggestion of gay Americans in our platform - it said all groups must be protected from discrimination based on race, age, religion, gender and sexual discrimination.

“In 2000, we added support of ENDA and gay families.

“But this year we’ve taken even bolder steps, including protections based on discrimination on gender identity, adn talking about same sex families in the same breath as talking about all American families.

“This platform is the most equality-based platform we have ever produced, and I’m proud to have contributed to the early drafts.”