July 24, 2020
North Dakota Lawmakers Condemn Anti-LGBTQ+ GOP Resolution
Kevin Schattenkirk READ TIME: 2 MIN.
The North Dakota Republican Party (NDGOP) recently drafted a 2020 party platform that, among other things, states the party "does not advocate discrimination borne of hatred for one's fellow man." However, this part of the resolution goes on to cite long debunked notions of LGBTQ+ people that have been part and parcel of GOP policy for years:
"research has shown that causes of Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBT) compulsions are primarily developmental and not genetic as in color and gender...
laws empower those practicing LGBT behaviors to assume positions of mentorships of minors often over objections of parents influencing their emotions and thereby recruiting for their lifestyles...
laws are routinely used to attack the religious freedom, free speech and livelihood of others, forcing them to serve their events and beliefs in commerce, employment and education...
bills in some cases criminalize not using certain preferred pronouns...
Many LGBT practices are unhealthy and dangerous, sometimes endangering or shortening life and sometimes infecting society at large; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: The Republican Party of North Dakota opposes the passage of legislation which adds sexual orientation and gender identity to our Century code as protected classes."
North Dakota's Republican governor, Doug Burgum, condemned the platform:
As did Republican Representative Thomas Beadle:
KXNET reports that Joshua Baschee, an openly gay Democrat Representative from Fargo, issued a statement criticizing the "hurtful and disturbing" language of the resolution, questioning:
"How does language like this get through a 50 person committee and a vote of over 900 delegates without strong opposition as part of that process? Apologies should not be directed to me, but to the LGBT members of the ND GOP, their family members and the citizens of North Dakota."
Kevin Schattenkirk is an ethnomusicologist and pop music aficionado.
