Here's something I never thought I would see...

Rick Santorum Defends Bruce Jenner: 'He's a Woman


The antigay politician expressed a surprisingly open-minded view on the transgender public figure's recent coming out.
BY  Daniel Reynolds
May 03 2015 1:14 PM ET

http://www.advocate.com/politics/transgender/2015/05/03/rick-santorum-defends-bruce-jenner-hes-woman

Rick Santorum, a possible Republican presidential candidate with a checkered history on gay rights issues, expressed support of Bruce Jenner at a conservative conference this weekend.

The former Pennsylvania senator said he believes the Olympian when he told Diane Sawyer, "For all intents and purposes, I'm a woman," in a much-hyped ABC News interview last Friday.

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rick hasn't been the most open minded about LGBTQ issues so maybe Bruce coming out as Transgender and a Republican is starting to make some headway of understanding.

That was the biggest piece of hope that I got from her interview, her statement of her political beliefs. I'm a huge lefty but it takes all kinds for us to have a real political discourse. Having someone conservatives can look to as a normal transperson is of enourmous value.

I agree and think maybe we are witnessing a welcome and needed sea change.  May the tides be with you!

It sounds promising, but until shown otherwise, I'm not convinced it isn't just a publicity thing - you know, support this famous person, get a bunch of votes from their fans.

But perhaps I'm jaded from living in a state with a strong anti-LGBT attitude. 

I am not fully convinced he has had a change of heart but I am glad to at least see him paying lip service. That, ladies and gentlemen is a good start.

Remember two things:

We cannot make our rights about politics. Human rights are human rights. That is not a party politics thing.

We are diverse. If we tell people they have to align to one political party or ideology, we will drive away people. You know why? They will label us as left wing socialists, bent on a "left wing agenda" and LGBT is just a part of it. It's just like gun owners are labeled as right wing nuts aligned with the Koch brothers.

There are things I don't agree with either party on, but I don't want to be thrown in a box because I am transgender and told I have to support XYZ candidate or party or be labeled a traitor.

While the Republicans do have a bit of a bad rep with LGBT issues among the fringe, I do see a lot of silence among the more moderate types and some of the more libertarian types. Maybe this can be turned into tolerance at the very least.

But I have also seen the Democratic party throw us under the bus. ENDA, for example, had its trans provisions stripped out by Barney Frank. This makes me wonder why they still get a free pass.

In the end I want all parties to support us. D, R, L, Green, everyone. We can't do this by shoving all trans people in a box.

Not sure who the "fringe" is exactly but any support from any direction of the political compass is welcome to join in the parade of progress for equal civil rights.  I honestly do not see any shoving going on but more a sharing of diverse perspectives.  Yes, it really is OK to be red, white and blue and be queer and transgender too.

Wow, that's something I never thought I'd see. lol. I mean yeah it could be a publicity thing but still, I was surprised to see this headline.

He has since clarified his comments to say that while he has empathy and compassion for Jenner, he is in no way suggesting any sort of policy change as far as any trans rights are concerned. He also says that bathrooms are something that businesses and local communities need to worry about, not the federal government.


He's one of those "hate the sin, not the sinner" kind of people...

I have learned to judge politicians by their actions, not their words.  Lip service is merely that.

Like Jenner, I have been a lifelong Republican.  In fact, when I came out to my children, my youngest son asked if I was also going join the Democratic Party.  I told him that while I was making some changes I couldn't see myself doing something that drastic!  We all had a good laugh. 

It is important that we engage all of the political parties.  I have been involved in the political process my entire life, I am hoping that my coming out and publically transitioning can help convince conservatives that we are in need of equal protections under the law.  Additionally, we shouldn't be made to jump through endless hoops in order to transition as some states require. 

I believe that it is not so much being conservative that is the issue as much as it is the relationship to the conservative /fundamentalist Christian religious base.  I have seen firsthand how unforgiving and quick to condemn some of the so-called Christians can be.  They are just as unforgiving if they believe that a politician has betrayed them.  The trick is going to be getting these political figures to see the medical and human side of the issue and stop trying to enforce an apparent misguided religious objection.  The more that they can see that someone just like them can be transgender, the better we will be able to get them to look at the issues from a legal and factual basis and not from a religious dogma basis. 

Quote from: marsh monster on May 05, 2015, 02:39:48 PM
He has since clarified his comments to say that while he has empathy and compassion for Jenner, he is in no way suggesting any sort of policy change as far as any trans rights are concerned. He also says that bathrooms are something that businesses and local communities need to worry about, not the federal government.


He's one of those "hate the sin, not the sinner" kind of people...

Well, he is still Rick Santorum... he's like probably one of the worst of the worst.

Now look at Rand Paul or Chris Christie.

Rand Paul doesn't support LGBT issues but he does actually support Government non-interference. He did support SCOTUS striking down DOMA.

Chris Christie signed a bill in NJ banning conversion therapy. He also dropped the state's challenge to the marriage lawsuit making same sex marriage legal in the state. He did have to put up a faux fight in the latter to play to the base a bit (who still got upset with him) but he did what he did.

So they are there. And you will find a lot of people like Bruce Jenner who are LGB or T and who are also Republicans, Conservatives or Libertarians.

I'm Christian, republican, pro-life ... And I'm a proud trans woman!  If you want me arrested because I pee in the ladies room, you lost my vote.  Equal rights and access for all LGBTQ persons is NOT not a political issue, it's a basic human rights issue.

Quote from: TracyCakes on May 05, 2015, 08:22:08 PM
I'm Christian, republican, pro-life ... And I'm a proud trans woman!  If you want me arrested because I pee in the ladies room, you lost my vote.  Equal rights and access for all LGBTQ persons is NOT not a political issue, it's a basic human rights issue.

I'm not Christian, pro-choice though it's not a choice I would want to have to make, and I've been a libertarian most of my adult life, but the current crop of Republican hopefuls? I'm sorry, there's no other word but evil. That's why, for the first time, I registered Democrat this year. Gods help me if they pick someone I can't tolerate! Cindy, do you have a spare bedroom?

I would vote Democrat if they weren't hell bent on criminalizing my right to self defense with tools of my choosing and if they weren't so fond of just taking more of my money to wastefully spend without looking to eliminate some of the waste. Other than that they have some good ideas. But those two are a big deal breaker.

To each their own, Kate. I'd rather be caught with an illegal firearm than an illegal penis in a women's bathroom.

There are always creative ways to defend yourself, but if they make your very existence illegal what do you do? As to wasteful spending, not sure about you, but I see Tweedledum and Tweedledee on that one.

Santorum's position on being transgender vs. homosexuality seems similar to the position of the Ayatollahs on this issue. In Iran, being gay is punishable by death, but being a transsexual isn't really a problem. Santorum is still kind of a neanderthal though.

To me, hopefully the result may be that these Republican contenders may come around to the position that non-discrimination is the law of the land (if we can ever get it fully implemented) and assuage their constituents by being against the laws but saying because it's the law, there's nothing they can do. Hopefully, they'll take the same position with SS Marriage.

it still doesn't change the fact he wanted to ban masturbation. I can't support a politician that wants the government in my bedroom. I don't trust him. He would have to push HARD for a non-discrimination bill for me to change my mind about him. A claim that he'll do it isn't good enough. I would need to see him push for it.

Quote from: Dee Marshall on May 06, 2015, 02:28:03 PM
To each their own, Kate. I'd rather be caught with an illegal firearm than an illegal penis in a women's bathroom.

There are always creative ways to defend yourself, but if they make your very existence illegal what do you do? As to wasteful spending, not sure about you, but I see Tweedledum and Tweedledee on that one.

Yep, to each their own. I would rather be able to shoot back than be found dead in a back alley.

The bathroom stuff I don't see either party really holding on to. It will get toxic for them pretty quick.

He did back pedal some though


http://www.cleveland.com/rnc-2016/index.ssf/2015/05/rick_santorum_voices_support_for_bruce_jenner_clarifies_remarks_rick_santorum_in_the_news.html