FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Groups Call on Values Voters Summit to Value All American Families
LGBT Republicans, Democrats Call for Family Equality in U.S.
Washington, DC – (Sep. 14, 2012) – Family Equality Council today joined with the Log Cabin Republicans and the National Stonewall Democrats in encouraging the Family Research Council and speakers and attendees of the “Values Voters Summit” to begin an honest discussion of how to value the millions of American families with members who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT).
The groups said the Values Voters Summit, which opens today in Washington D.C., represents an opportunity for social conservatives to stop hiding anti-gay rhetoric by using the term “traditional family values” and instead uphold family values for all Americans.
“I say enough. It’s time for fair-minded Americans to reclaim the term family values and use it in a way that unites our country instead of dividing it,” said Family Equality Council Executive Director Jennifer Chrisler. “America is a vibrant and diverse nation of blended and multi-generational families, adoptive and foster families, families headed by single parents, divorced parents, unmarried parents and yes LGBT parents raising children. All these families share common values including the love of our country, respect for our neighbors and the greatest hopes for our kids. We can disagree on some things, but we must agree to respect all American families. That is a core American value that every group, every candidate, every campaign and every voter can and should support.”
“Regardless of your political affiliation, aligning yourself with the most extreme anti-LGBT voices in America is a losing proposition,” said National Stonewall Democrats Executive Director Jerame Davis. “Right, left, or center, Americans know that every family is valuable – including LGBT families. Americans agree that LGBT families are as loving, caring, and deserving of freedom and prosperity as their own. These are the true ‘values voters’ in any election.”
“LGBT or straight, Republicans are united in the belief that strong families are critical to a free and prosperous society,” said Log Cabin Republicans executive director R. Clarke Cooper. “As Log Cabin Republicans reminded Tony Perkins and the Family Research Council in Tampa last month, as fellow conservatives we believe that the freedom to marry and to protect our families is directly in line with the core ideals and principles of the Republican Party – less government, individual freedom, religious freedom, personal responsibility and the importance of family. Family values means valuing all families.”
Chrisler also added that Family Equality Council recently highlighted some of the areas of American life where LGBT parents and their children face legal, economic and social barriers in Modern Families: Ensuring the American Dream for All Families – a platform for LGBT families that was released to coincide with the Republican and Democratic National Conventions.
About Family Equality Council: Family Equality Council is the leading national organization that connects, supports, and represents the one million parents who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) and their two million children. www.familyequality.org.
About Log Cabin Republicans: Log Cabin Republicans is the only Republican organization dedicated to representing the interests of LGBT Americans and their allies. The 30-year old organization has state and local chapters nationwide, a full-time office in Washington, DC, a federal political action committee and state political action committees. www.logcabin.org.
About National Stonewall Democrats: National Stonewall Democrats is the national voice of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and allied Democrats, with more than 80 local affiliates across the nation. Stonewall Democrats works to elect more pro-equality Democrats regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity – and to improve the Democratic Party on issues important to LGBT Democrats.www.stonewalldemocrats.org
CONTACT: Steve Majors |Dir. Communications
202.664.0079│smajors@familyequality.org