Reality Check: Hillary Clinton’s history with same-sex marriage
KRDO.com 27 July 2016
Family First Comment: Gosh – Hillary used to believe in Marriage as one man one woman. But politics slowly changed that.
“Could have been sooner.” During the primary season, “Saturday Night Live” comic Kate McKinnon schooled Hillary Clinton on punctuality when it came to supporting same-sex marriage equality.
At the star-studded second night of the Democratic National Convention, former President Bill Clinton praised his wife’s efforts toward international human rights — focusing on women and the LGBT community.
“I have a strong record on same sex marriage.” ~ @HillaryClinton#HillaryLies pic.twitter.com/95ho72J7cj
— Neil Turner (@NeilTurner_) March 13, 2016
“She went to Beijing in 1995 and said that women’s rights are human rights and human rights are women’s rights,” he said. “She worked to empower women and girls around the world.”
While many would agree the first major party female presidential nominee has aggressively advocated gender equality, it’s important to question whether she made “the same exact declaration on behalf of the LGBT community” as Bill Clinton claimed.
Hillary Clinton initially expressed staunch disagreement with same-sex marriage during her first run for Senate. In early 2000, she stated plainly: “I think a marriage is as a marriage has always been, between a man and a woman.” She quickly clarified that she was strongly supportive of civil unions, but maintained her stance against same-sex marriage well into her term as senator.
In 2006, she told gay rights activists that she would support same-sex marriage if it was introduced in New York. However, she still expressed greater comfort with “states making the decisions.”
Throughout the 2008 presidential campaign, Clinton remained opposed to same-sex marriage. She did come out and support repealing portions of the Defense of Marriage Act — a law her husband signed in 1996 that prohibited same-sex couples from accessing certain benefits.
In 2011 Clinton declared, “Gay rights are human rights, and human rights are gay rights,” and following her resignation in February 2013, she quickly came out in support of the growing marriage equality movement, saying LGBT Americans should be treated as “full and equal citizens, and they deserve the rights of citizenship. That includes marriage.”
While Hillary Clinton has certainly warmed to the gay community during her political career, Bill Clinton’s implication that Hillary has supported gay rights throughout the years is false. http://www.krdo.com/news/cnns-reality-check-team-vets-the-dnc-claims/40901124
