In a talk with employees of a San Francisco tech start up on Wednesday, Republican Presidential Candidate Jeb Bush affirmed his support for state laws protecting LGBT people from discrimination.
When asked about his position on LGBT non-discrimination by an employee of the company who identified as gay, Bush said:
“I don’t think you should be discriminated because of your sexual orientation. Period. Over and out.”
Though Bush fell short of endorsing a federal law prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, his comments are just the latest indication of growing bipartisan support for non-discrimination laws in states across the country.
Freedom for All Americans campaign manager Matt McTighe explained to The Washington Blade the importance of Bush’s comments while pushing Americans to understand what is fully necessary – a federal solution
“It’s certainly important that we work to advance non-discrimination protections in states where they’re currently lacking. But at the end of the day, nondiscrimination protections for LGBT citizens need to be addressed in a bipartisan manner at the federal level. That’s the only way we can ensure every single LGBT American is protected from discrimination. And federal action sends a powerful message that discrimination against LGBT people in any form is totally unacceptable.”
Like all Americans, conservatives know that all hardworking Americans deserve to be treated equally under the law. It’s not only the right thing to do, but it’s good for business too. That’s why polls consistently show a majority of Republicans supporting LGBT non-discrimination laws, with support climbing even higher among millennial GOP voters.
