LGBTQ+ advocacy groups excited about vice presidential pick Tim Walz’s 'proven record'

National LGBTQ+ advocacy groups are celebrating Vice President Kamala Harris’s selection of Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate for the 2024 presidential election. They emphasize Walz’s extensive record of supporting LGBTQ+ rights, bodily autonomy, and equality.

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The Human Rights Campaign, Equality PAC, and GLAAD have all issued statements lauding Harris’s choice, highlighting Walz’s longstanding dedication to the LGBTQ+ community.

“There’s no doubt — Kamala Harris has electrified the nation and breathed new hope into the race. Her pick of Governor Walz sends a message that a Harris-Walz Administration will be committed to advancing equality and justice for all,” said HRC president Kelley Robinson. Her statement highlighted Walz’s history of advocacy, noting his efforts as a high school teacher to support the creation of a gay-straight alliance and his legislative work in Congress to repeal discriminatory laws such as the Defense of Marriage Act and “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

As governor, Walz signed an executive order banning the practice of so-called “conversion therapy” for minors, making Minnesota one of the first states to take such action against the harmful practice through executive order. He also supported legislation to protect LGBTQ+ youth in foster care and has been a vocal advocate for comprehensive non-discrimination protections. In 2023, he signed an executive order protecting access to healthcare for transgender people, ensuring that Minnesota remains a refuge for those seeking gender-affirming care. He has also legalized recreational cannabis use and protected abortion rights.

Equality PAC Co-Chairs, California U.S. Rep. Mark Takano and New York U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres, who are both gay, praised Walz’s commitment to standing up for what is right, even when it is unpopular.

“At a time when LGBTQ Americans have come under attack from MAGA extremists, we need strong allies now more than ever before,” they said in a statement. They recounted Walz’s early support for LGBTQ+ students and his legislative efforts to protect LGBTQ+ service members and expand hate crime prevention.

GLAAD president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis also welcomed Harris’s decision. “Vice President Harris’s choice of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz underscores a longstanding commitment to the equality, prosperity, and safety of all Americans, including and especially for LGBTQ people. Gov. Walz has a proven record of including and protecting LGBTQ people and the fundamental freedoms all Americans treasure,” Ellis said.

She highlighted several key accomplishments from Walz’s tenure as governor, including signing a statewide ban on conversion therapy, passing a “trans refuge” bill to protect transgender people and their families from legal repercussions for seeking care in Minnesota, and consistently speaking out against discriminatory legislation in other states.

The LGBTQ+ Victory Fund also issued a statement touting Harris’s choice.

“Governor Tim Walz is a strong ally for our community and a staunch supporter of LGBTQ+ equality,” said LGBTQ+ Victory Fund president and CEO Annise Parker. “As governor, Walz worked with LGBTQ+ legislators to transform Minnesota into a refuge for LGBTQ+ families, a state where equality is the law of the land. A Harris-Walz ticket will certainly push the movement for equality forward, and we expect a Harris-Walz administration will continue the historic levels of LGBTQ+ representation among presidential appointments.”

Harris has also been a stalwart ally of the LGBTQ+ community throughout her career. As San Francisco district attorney in 2004, she performed some of the country’s first same-sex marriages. Harris’s White House staff and campaign staff include numerous LGBTQ+ individuals, including her press secretary, Ernesto Apreza, a gay man. She has made history as the first sitting vice president to march in a Pride parade, the first to host a drag queen at her home, and the first to host annual Pride Month celebrations at the vice president’s residence at the Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C. The Biden-Harris administration has been described as the most pro-equality in American history.

Harris and Walz will appear at their first joint campaign rally in Philadelphia on Tuesday evening. The Harris-Walz ticket will now embark on a multi-city tour of battleground states crucial to the election outcome.