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“It’s unfortunate that you have groups like the Log Cabin Republicans who are willing to sell out the community in exchange for being able to cozy up to someone like Donald Trump,” said HRC’s Brandon Wolf.
As election season peaks, conservative LGBTQ+ supporters of former President Donald Trump are hosting “Trump UNITY” events across battleground states despite the former president’s lengthy record of anti-LGBTQ+ policies.
Organized by the Log Cabin Republicans, the UNITY tour held a rally in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Tuesday, where gay conservative attendees emphasized economic issues over LGBTQ+ rights and downplayed the need for further protections, NBC News reports.
For attendees, whose attendance numbers were eclipsed by straight counterparts in a half-empty hotel ballroom devoid of rainbow flags, this event was a space to champion Trump as the candidate of choice — even as he pledges to roll back rights for LGBTQ+ Americans. “I’m not voting because of marriage equality or LGBTQ rights,” 23-year-old Gage West told the outlet. “I’m voting because I want more money in my wallet.” His comments reflect a prevailing sentiment among the crowd of conservative gay men who said their focus is on economic and border security issues rather than LGBTQ+ rights.
Related: Matt Gaetz will join gay Republican ‘self-serving traitors’ at Pennsylvania Trump fundraiser
Pronouns were mocked by attendees, and calls for equality were dismissed as “victim mentality,” echoing comments from conservative social media influencer Rob Smith, who argued that “the problems that this country are facing are far greater than any small affinity group.”
Some attendees believe the LGBTQ+ community has already achieved full equality. Fifty-seven-year-old Don Webber remarked, “We’re past that. We’ve reached that level of equality. My focus is more on my kids and the grandkids, the economy, the safety of our borders.”
This rhetoric has drawn backlash from LGBTQ+ advocates who point out Trump’s record as one of the most anti-LGBTQ+ administrations in recent history. During his presidency, Trump enacted policies that specifically targeted transgender Americans, including a ban on trans service members in the military, the removal of healthcare protections for LGBTQ+ people, and the appointment of judges with long-standing anti-equality records. Trump also opposed the Equality Act, a bill that would cement anti-discrimination protections for sexual orientation and gender identity into federal law. Meanwhile, his Department of Justice argued in court that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 did not protect LGBTQ+ workers.
Despite this record, Trump’s UNITY events are headlined by staunch supporters like former U.S. Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell, who defended Trump’s record.
The UNITY tour has also drawn attention for the inclusion of high-profile far-right figures who promote harmful anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric, including Scott Pressler, who has pushed baseless “groomer” narratives against the LGBTQ+ community, and former Republican Illinois U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock, who once voted against marriage equality and the repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell” but came out as gay years after leaving office.
In early October, the Trump UNITY tour held a fundraiser in Pennsylvania. The event featured figures like Florida U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz. Gaetz has publicly pushed false narratives about transgender youth and endorsed anti-LGBTQ+ tropes.
Brian Sims, a former Pennsylvania lawmaker and CEO of Agenda PAC, criticized the event’s alignment with figures like Gaetz and Schock. “The irony is sickening: they claim to be against grooming, yet they stand side-by-side with a man who’s the real threat,” Sims toldThe Advocate. He added, “These people are selling out their own for a shot at power and relevance, all while pushing an agenda that actively undermines our rights and safety.”
For LGBTQ+ advocacy groups like the Human Rights Campaign, which has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, these events are seen as transparent attempts by Trump’s campaign to gain traction among LGBTQ+ voters without addressing their actual needs or rights. “Some people really like proximity to power, and Donald Trump is someone who peddles power in exchange for things constantly,” HRC national press secretary Brandon Wolf told NBC News. “It’s unfortunate that you have groups like the Log Cabin Republicans who are willing to sell out the community in exchange to be able to cozy up to someone like Donald Trump.”
