Speaking at a campaign event on Friday,
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton said that
her “highest priority” as president would be passage of a federal
bill prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation and
gender identity.
Introduced by Democrats in July, the
Equality Act seeks to prohibit anti-LGBT discrimination in seven key
areas, including credit, education, employment, federal funding,
housing, jury service and public accommodations, by effectively
expanding the Civil Rights Act, originally approved in 1964.
At a town hall event at Keene State
College in New Hampshire, a self-identified bisexual man asked
Clinton how her views on LGBT rights have “evolved.”
Clinton, who backed civil unions, not
marriage, for gay and lesbian couples until 2013, explained that part
of her hesitancy was generational.
“Yes, my views did evolve. And I
think most people my age would say the same thing – there might be
some exceptions,” Clinton said.
“Largely because of my strong
opposition to discrimination of any sort and my personal
relationships with a lot of people over the years, I certainly
concluded that marriage equality should be the law of the land.”
“I was thrilled when the Supreme
Court made it the law of the land and I will enforce marriage
equality [as president].”
Clinton went on to reiterate her
support for the Equality Act.
“A lot of states now, because of the
constitutional decision, you can get married on Saturday and get
fired on Monday, because we still permit discrimination in employment
and in public accommodations. Marriage isn't the end of the debate,
it's a step along the path to true equality. You will be able to
count on me to fight for you,” she added.
(Related: Rand
Paul says he does not believe people should be fried for being gay.)