Members of the GOP platform committee
have told The New York Times that this year's platform is
expected to condemn the Supreme Court's finding that gay and lesbian
couples have a constitutional right to marry.
The platform is also expected to
support so-called religious freedom laws that allow businesses to
deny services to gay couples and state laws that prohibit transgender
people from using the bathroom of their choice.
In 2012, Republicans added language to
the platform calling court rulings striking down state marriage bans
“an assault on the foundations of our society.”
Billionaire Republican Paul E. Singer's
group, the American Unity Fund, is leading an effort to tone down the
platform's anti-LGBT rhetoric.
“We've got to make room for people
with diverse views on civil marriage,” said Tyler Deaton, the
group's senior adviser. “This platform doesn't even make room for
people who support civil unions or domestic partnerships or people
who support basic legal equality.”
At an event in Cleveland, site of the
Republican National Convention, the American Unity Fund will
co-sponsor an event headlined by Caitlyn Jenner calling for greater
inclusion of LGBT rights in the party platform.
(Related: Caitlyn
Jenner headed to Cleveland as “proud Republican, transgender
woman.”)
The Republican platform committee is
controlled by some of the party's most vocal opponents of LGBT
rights.
According to the Times, Donald
Trump, the party's presumptive nominee, has shown little interest in
molding the platform's language.