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KAMALA HARRIS IS AN EXCEPTIONAL CHOICE FOR VICE PRESIDENT: “Senator Kamala Harris is nothing short of an exceptional choice for Vice President,” said HRC President Alphonso David (@AlphonsoDavid). “Throughout her groundbreaking career, Senator Harris has been an outspoken advocate for the LGBTQ community, standing with us when many, even sometimes those within her own party, did not. As a presidential candidate, Harris spoke with deep understanding of and empathy for the issues our community faces. It’s clear the Biden-Harris ticket marks our nation’s most pro-equality ticket in history. Now it’s time to come together, unite like never before and turn the page on the Trump-Pence brand of lies and hate.”

• In 2013, Kamala Harris officiated the first marriage between a same-sex couple in the state of California between Proposition 8 plaintiffs Kris Perry and Sandy Stier.
• As a Presidential candidate, Harris released one of the most substantive LGBTQ policy agendas of any candidate in the presidential field. She attended the historic HRC-CNN Power of our Pride Town Hall where she discussed her in-depth agendas to combat HIV/AIDS among Black and Brown people and reduce violence against the transgender and gender non-conforming community, particularly Black transgender women.
• As Senator of the state with the highest number of LGBTQ people in our nation, Kamala Harris has been one of our community’s strongest allies in Congress earning a perfect 100 on every HRC Congressional Scorecard while serving in the U.S. Senate. She co-sponsored the Equality Act, crucial federal legislation that would finally guarantee explicit protections for LGBTQ people under our nation’s existing civil rights laws. She supports efforts to prevent anti-LGBTQ bullying in schools, opposed using religion as a license to discriminate and supports banning harmful “conversion therapy.”
• She defended the Affordable Care Act and advocated for inclusive, substantive health care for people with preexisting conditions and LGBTQ people. As Attorney General of California, she helped end the use of anti-LGBTQ “panic defenses” and refused to defend the discriminatory Proposition 8 -- a 2008 California ballot measure that eliminated the right for same-sex couples to marry -- a position that was eventually upheld by a federal judge.

PRO-EQUALITY SENATORS PEN LETTER TO STATE DEPT. AFTER CITIZENSHIP WAS DENIED TO CHILDREN BORN ABROAD TO SAME-SEX COUPLES: The senators, led by Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA), write: “The U.S. Supreme Court has clearly articulated that the U.S. government must recognize same sex marriages ‘on the same terms and conditions as opposite sex couples,’ and that it must provide them with the ‘constellation of benefits’ associated with marriage -- including equitable treatment of their children.” More from Forbes.

ANTI-LGBTQ ORGANIZATION ADS ATTACK TRANSGENDER YOUTH, JOE BIDEN: The so-called American Principles Project is running ads in Kentucky and Michigan that attack Joe Biden for his support of transgender youth. More from LGBTQ Nation.

• Biden is a champion for equality. Learn more about his plan to protect LGBTQ youth and more here.

WHAT WE’RE WATCHING WEDNESDAY -- NEW TRAILER FOR REBOOT OF SAVED BY THE BELL FEATURING TRANS ACTRESS JOSIE TOTAH: More on this reboot from Teen Vogue.

HOW AN LGBTQ ASIAN ATHLETE CHANNELS PAIN INTO POWER: Learn more about Amazin LêThị (@amazinlethi) from the European Sponsorship Association.

• Read up on HRC’s work to improve equality in sports here.

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