The Anti-LGBT Tide Might Be Turning with Conservatives

        As more conservatives either lean in favor of LGBT rights it’s likely that more laws intended to protect gay people from discrimination will go into effect. Photo: Elvert Barnes | FlickrCC.

Though the Republican party is not known for its friendliness towards LGBT individuals, new legislation and the political influence of pro-LGBT Millennials suggest that being anti-gay is no longer a staple of being conservative. GOP members are beginning to introduce laws that protect and support LGBT rights, and even those that disagree with the Supreme Court’s recent nationwide legalization of same-sex marriage respect that citizens should be allowed to pursue personal happiness as they see fit.

Earlier this year, more than 130 Republicans signed an amicus brief, organized by Ken Mehlman, in support of four same-sex marriage cases the Supreme Court was then preparing to hear. The brief’s signatories include Jon Huntsman, Rudy Giuliani, and David Koch. Mehlman spoke to Time about the general consensus on LGBT issues in the Republican party: “There’s been an increase since the last time in public support for marriage equality across all ideological, racial, and political groups.”

Other Republicans also stand out for their support of LGBT rights. Current presidential candidate Marco Rubio, himself an opponent of same-sex marriage, recognizes that though he might disagree with the Supreme Court’s ruling, “every American has the right to pursue happiness as they see fit.” Rubio does not believe that everyone must agree on every issue, “but all of us do have to share our country,” he said. His tacit acceptance of same-sex marriage has not appeared to hinder his presidential campaign.

Pro-LGBT thoughts have spread across the country to California, where the state’s Republican party voted nearly unanimously to remove the anti-gay communications from its platform, adding language that instead supports the LGBT community. Previously, the party did not believe that schools should be allowed to teach homosexuality as an acceptable lifestyle; now, such statements will be removed altogether.

“We built a strong, broad-based conservative coalition to bring about this change which received nearly unanimous support of the delegates,” said John Musella, chairman of the Log Cabin Republicans, one of California’s gay Republican organizations. “We’re hoping to build a platform and a Republican party where all Californians are welcome.”

Pro-LGBT sentiment even exists within a base of Republican voters. A new survey shows that of the 600 voters surveyed--433 of whom were likely to vote Republican--55 percent believed sexual orientation and gender identity should be added to the state’s anti-discrimination laws. Sixty percent believed that businesses should not be allowed to deny service to LGBT people. LGBT civil rights laws are likely to be posed to the floor during January’s legislative session.

As more conservatives either lean in favor of LGBT rights or at least in respecting the Supreme Court’s law, it is likely that more laws intended to protect gay people from discrimination will go into effect, improving the lives of the nation’s LGBT communities.