OVER 100 LGBTQIA+ COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND LEADERS IN MASSACHUSETTS ENDORSE KENNEDY FOR U.S. SENATE

Chair of the Congressional Transgender Equality Task Force, Congressman Joe Kennedy III has made fighting for LGBTQIA+ rights a top priority since his first day in office

Watertown, MA — Today, over 100 LGBTQIA+ community members and leaders from across the Commonwealth endorsed Joe Kennedy III for U.S. Senate, citing his steadfast commitment to civil rights and his advocacy both in Massachusetts and in Washington. The endorsement comes during Pride Month and highlights Kennedy’s leadership fighting for LGBTQIA+ equality.

Throughout his time in Congress, Kennedy has become a leading voice on LGBTQIA+ issues. He has authored legislation to ensure religious liberty claims cannot be used to deny civil rights, to end the so-called “Gay and Trans panic” defense in courts, and to create a National Transgender Day of Rememberance.

As Chair of the Congressional Transgender Equality Task Force, he has led efforts to fight back against Donald Trumps anti-equality agenda, from his ban on transgender troops to his decision to remove anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQIA+ students and his attempts to strip health care away from transgender individuals.

Kennedy has also been at the forefront of the equality fight in Massachusetts. He helped lead the efforts in 2013 and 2015 to codify anti-discrimination protections for transgender citizens, offering testimony before the State House twice. In 2018, as far-right extremists tried to roll back those protections, he was the Chair of the successful “Yes on 3” campaign to protect the law.

“When I met Joe in 2015, our family was grappling with the realization that supporting our son Jacob in his identity wouldn’t be enough, and that we needed legal non-discrimination protections for him. As we sat down with Joe and talked about our fears for Jacob’s future, we could see the genuine empathy in his eyes. He shook our hands and said ‘don’t worry, we’re going to get this done.’ Joe made good on that promise. He was with us every step of the way,” said Mimi Lemay, a Marblehead mother whose son Jacob socially transitioned at four years old. “Joe genuinely cares about LGBTQ+ people in this state. We know we have a true champion in Joe.”

“Joe is the leader of today with a focus on tomorrow that is inclusive. We need leaders like Joe who understand the inequities the LGBTQ+ community experiences; willing to come to the table, have a conversation, and stand up against the injustice,” said Sheika Babin from Quincy, who serves on the City of Quincy’s LGBTQ Commission and is the founder and chair of Quincy Pride. Sheika joined Kennedy last week in a broadcast to discuss the intersection of Pride Month and Black Lives Matter.

“We need stronger, bolder advocates like Joe fighting down in Washington.” said Neal Minahan from Boston. “The LGBTQIA+ community faces an uphill battle every day with Donald Trump, Mitch McConnell, and a Republican stranglehold in the Senate. And too many of our elected officials refuse to stand up to the bigotry and discrimination. Joe fights for equality every day and has delivered on the issues since his first day in office. He will not only be a strong advocate for us in MA, but for the community nationwide.”

“Every day, we stare down forces that tell the LGBTQIA+ community we are lesser than,” said Mary Breslauer from Chilmark. “What we absolutely cannot afford at this moment, is to be complacent with the same leadership that delivered the rhetoric and malice we see coming from D.C. today. Joe’s record on LGBTQ+ issues speaks for itself. A fierce advocate and cosponsor of the Equality Act as well as the author of the Do No Harm Act, he’s proven himself to be a devoted ally and champion. We need him in the Senate.”

“Each one of these endorsements is an honor, and it comes with a promise that I will never relent in our fight for LGBTQIA+ rights and protections. There is nothing more sacred in this country than the fundamental right to be who you are,” said Congressman Joe Kennedy III. “As we celebrate Pride this month and pay homage to the queer Americans that paved the way, we do not take a second of progress for granted, and we recommit together to the fight ahead.”