The Gay Youth Programs Romney Cut as Governor

Saturday, May 19, 2012

Ashley Klann, GoLocalWorcester Contributor

Recent bullying accusations have brought former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney’s anti-gay legislative history to the forefront. Romney is currently under fire for claims that he bullied another student while in school, which has brought up his actions as Governor that showed his stance on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) issues.

“In 2006 he abolished the Governor’s Commission on LGBT Youth, and the legislature had to create an independent commission on LGBT youth,” said Deputy Director at MassEquality, Carly Burton. “It goes to show that he’s not supportive of the LGBT community, especially of youth – even though youth are more likely to be bullied and attempt suicide.”

“With regards to Romney's record on the issue, I think he's been fairly clear that he's opposed to gay marriage, and given the way the issue flared up during his term, I can imagine it was a hot button issue,” said registered Republican and member of the local Republican Town Committee in Millbury, Jeff Raymond. “With that said, we do need to remember that it was a Republican, Bill Weld, who established the LBGT group in question here. Romney did not go after this group right away, and in fact was merely looking to curb the spending increases that were proposed.”

While Governor, Romney removed funding from the Governor’s Commission of LGBT Youth, causing the legislature to create a replacement commission. According to Burton, the primary purpose of the commission is to make recommendations to the state and to the administration and the legislature on services and programs to support LGBT youth. She and other supporters from Family Equality Council say that failing to help this portion of the community feel safe is a “disservice to the Commonwealth.”

“It was very predictable when the President ‘evolved’ that the entire Democratic party was soon to follow with false attacks on Republicans as being anti-gay. The President's move was very calculated and predictable,” said Chris Pinto, treasurer of the Worcester Republican City Committee. “I expect these types of false attacks to continue right up until November.”

Pinto and other local Republicans see this as an issue of less importance for the upcoming election, however. “The economy is the real issue for the 2012 election and the poll numbers indicate that Romney and Brown are way ahead when it comes to who people trust to improve the economy,” he said.

Romney’s Role

For one Mass. Representative, the issue goes beyond disagreements and single issues. Rep. Denise Andrews from Western Mass. sees Romney’s record as something that speaks to how crucial his role is.

“Romney and any other leaders a difference whether people feel like they have respect. It’s up to the leader to set the bar and the tone for what’s expected in the society in where we live,” she said. “Whether you’re a governor or legislator or parent, it’s all our job.”

Andrews assumed office in January 2011 and is one of several openly gay members of the Mass. state house.

“Whether you agree with someone’s decision or not, is crucial. The point is how we have equality in society and justice and fairness. That’s where we have to be,” she said. “Our country really needs to go to school on that. We don’t need another campaign season where we are having conversations on the extreme that excludes people.”

“We need to be ‘we.’ There are opportunities for all of us,” Andrews said. “Let’s not just look at leadership, let’s put a mirror up in front of all of us.” She believes that the issue is more about respect than agreement.

In the Commonwealth

MassEquality and other LGBT advocacy groups believe that Romney’s past will be remembered by voters in the state.

“I think that folks in Massachusetts will remember his record. Obviously that was significant, and the legislature had to really scramble to put together that commission so that the youth they were trying to work with and serve wouldn’t be left unserved,” Burton said. “I think that the recent bullying incident has raised this issue again, and people will have to look long and hard at his record with the LGBT community.”

She and Executive Director of Family Equality Council, Jennifer Chrisler, believe that other Republicans in the state, like Scott Brown, are showcasing the party’s extreme stance on this issue and that is alienating them from voters.

“Governor Romney, when he was a Governor, was not supportive of LGBT rights including trying to remove funding for the Governor’s Committee of LGBT Youth,” Chrisler said. “He has been consistently that way as governor and now running as president he is moving even more to the right because he is a part of a party that’s pushing their candidates farther to the edge.”

“It doesn’t keep up with people. He’s out of step and out of touch with constituents and with the American people in general. I think he’s saying, ‘This is the issue, but I’m against it.’”

Raymond, sees things differently. “I think the issue is that the Republican Party is the group that does lead the charge against gay marriage, for certain, but it is not necessarily a negative for them,” he said. “The position is not new for the party, and is not ‘pushing their candidates farther to the edge’ because, if anything, the younger generation of Republicans does not care as much about these issues from a ‘traditional’ standpoint and it has been the position of the Republican Party for decades.”

A Party Issue

LGBT support has indeed become a politicized issue, but while Romney and Brown’s stances on the matter have been shown, constituents view them different ways.

Chrisler received what she calls a “personal attack” from Brown regarding she and her wife, former Massachusetts State Senator Cheryl Jacques, to raise a child.

“I don’t think he misspoke when he said that,” she said. “Both Governor Romney and Senator Brown have a very clear background on being anti-gay and anti-fairness. In no circumstances is Brown a moderate.” Chrisler cited Brown’s voting record on unemployed workers and fiscal issues.

“Brown has been on record as being opposed to gay marriage but in favor of civil unions, and, to my knowledge, he has not been a warrior on the issue at all. Whether or not he's a ‘moderate’ on this issue, I'm not sure - gay marriage is slowly becoming acceptable among the majority of Americans, but Brown's position is certainly in the middle of the debate between nothing-at-all and all-or-nothing,” said Raymond. He also added Richard Tisei, openly gay Republican candidate for the 6th district and former colleague of Brown in the state Senate, has spoken well of Brown.

The Republican Party has many voices and different proponents, some who see the issue of gay marriage differently than more traditional Republicans.

“I'm in favor of legal gay marriage, and I know many Republicans who feel the same way,” said Raymond. “It's just not a top priority when the economy is in terrible shape nationally and when, state-wise, the focus is more on achieving better parity on a representation level and reducing our ridiculously high tax burdens.” He also added that when compared to Rick Santorum or Newt Gingrich, Romney was not nearly as socially conservative on gay marriage.

With social issues, such as gay marriage coming up so much recently, it’s no question that the topic will continue to be intensely debated as November nears, and candidates will need to decide where they stand on the issue.