I'm Gay and I'm Counting on You
Statement
On the campaign trail, there's a lot of hugging and laughing and picture taking. I meet so many kids with bright hopes for the future. And some of these kids - sometimes 15, 16, 17 years old - are LGBT. They come up to say to me, "I'm gay and I'm counting on you."
I always smile. But I take this very seriously. All across the Commonwealth, I use every chance I can to tell those kids that I have their backs. I will be their ally and advocate because this election offers a chance to create a better America. One America where all people have a chance to get ahead, where all families matter, and where all people feel safe and welcomed and can thrive.
Being out and proud about being who we are is worth celebrating. And we all deserve to be respected for it by our families and friends and by our laws. I hang onto the faith that someday people will find it hard to believe there was ever a time in our country when coming out could be dramatic - or traumatic.
As a strong supporter of the cause for LGBT equality, I recognize the struggle that it's taken to get us here. I give credit to President Obama for the incredible progress we have made toward equality under his leadership.
But today reminds me that we still have work to do. In the U.S. Senate, I will do everything in my power to eliminate the moral failure that is DOMA and to promote the idea that every workplace should be free from discrimination, including discrimination against transgendered people.
We need to give our kids a future where they can see a path to be better off than their parents - and where that is true for all our kids, including those who don't fit in or who don't fit some gender norm.
I want to go to Washington to roll up my sleeves and work with President Obama on equality for all our people. Equality is not a "pet project," as my opponent has said. It's a moral obligation.
We can get there, but only if we work together. I need your help and your voice. Together we build a better America.
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