In Defense of Charles Djou

As if those policy positions aren’t pro-gay enough, he supports a litany of policies advocated by gay conservatives that will improve the daily lives of all Americans, but especially gay and lesbian Americans. Djou opposes the efforts of Democrats to make the discriminatory death tax permanent. He supports Social Security reforms that would provide for private, inheritable accounts allowing gay partners to designate each other as beneficiary. He supports free-market-based health care reforms that would empower individuals to choose the best health plan for their family and improve access to domestic-partner benefits, rather than supporting Democratic efforts to expand discriminatory government-run health care. He also supports our Second Amendment rights to lawfully defend ourselves from becoming victims of violent hate crimes.

That’s a pro-gay record. Why on earth would The Advocate call him “antigay”?

Congressman Djou, like many politicians, including most Democrats in Congress and the president, does not support civil marriage equality. So what is standard for the label “antigay”? What could possibly be the reason many liberal bloggers tagged Djou as “antigay”? One word — Republican.

For far too many on the gay left, including those in the gay press who claim impartiality, merely being associated with the Republican Party makes you an antigay bigot. The truth is never as simple as the partisans on the fringes would have you believe. Not all Democrats are good on gay issues, not are Republicans are bad, and — shock — not all policies that will improve the lives of gay Americans and our families come with the stamp of approval from the Human Rights Campaign, the Democratic National Committee, or The Advocate.

I hope readers of this news outlet will do the research themselves — look at the candidate’s positions, look at how those positions will affect their lives, and then decide for themselves; and I hope that all gay and lesbian Americans, regardless of their partisan political affiliations, will join us in thanking Congressman Djou for his support for us and our families.