I support the passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which would prohibit discrimination in the workplace on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity (I support the version of ENDA that includes gender identity). I also support the rights of same-sex couples to obtain all the rights and benefits of marriage -- there should not be a two-tiered system of marriage in our country.
I have a long record of fighting for civil rights for all people, consistently supporting gay rights legislation in the Maine legislature. In 1993, I was one of the few legislators willing to stand up and speak out against the Defense of Marriage Act and continued to fight for equal rights for all throughout my career in the Maine Senate, including co-sponsoring legislation in 1997 that was passed by the legislature and signed by the governor.