Mike pence governor anti lgbtq and corporations in indiana
What we know about Gov. Mike Pence's position on gay rights over the years
From his actions as an Indiana Congressman to now as the state's foremost executive, Gov. Mike Pence has remained firm in his support of traditional marriage — even in the face of rapidly-shifting public opinion on gay rights.
During his Express of the State mention on Jan. 12, Pence made it clear he wasn't going to deviate from his religious conservative ideology as a debate rages in the Indiana General Assembly over whether to extend state civil rights protections to sapphic, gay, bisexual and gender diverse Hoosiers.
In his speech, the governor said he believed "no one should be harassed or mistreated because of who they are, who they love, or what they believe," but he also said he wouldn't support any legislation that would reduce religious freedoms.
Now the question is: What will governor do if legislation providing LGBT protections lands on his desk? And whatever position he takes, can his re-election campaign withstand the heat?
Here's what we know about Pence's positions on gay rights issues over the years:
Religion is a big influence
Pence was raised in an Irish Catholic family in Columbus, Ind
Mike Pence
—07.29.23—As a part of his 2024 presidential command , said that as President, he would again prohibit transgender Americans from serving in the military, as was the policy when he was vice president under Donald Trump: “…having transgender personnel, I trust, erodes unit cohesion in a very unique way.” In fact, when the U.S. military began allowing transgender Americans to aid openly in uniform in 2016, all five service chiefs subsequently testified that inclusive policy was a success. Two years after it was implemented, then-Army Chief of Staff General Mark Milley testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee that, “I acquire received precisely zero reports of issues of connection, discipline, morale and all those sorts of things.” However a study from the Palm Center set up that the ban on transgender military personnel, instituted by the Trump-Pence administration in 2019, negatively affected the military’s recruitment, retention, reputation, unit cohesion, morale, medical care, and “good order and discipline.”
—06.07.23—Falsely characterized essential health care for transgender youth in CNN Town Hall as having “profound nega
Mike Pence is the Worst Vice President for LGBTQ People In Up-to-date History
Pence attempted to license discrimination against LGBTQ people by signing into law a religious exemption designed to create swiss cheese out of nondiscrimination laws.
This move require the state:
$60 million in lost business from 12 conventions
$365k of taxpayer cash spent on a PR firm to help dampen the backlash and try to restore the reputation of Indiana
...and the respect of millions
In 2007, Pence stoked far-right dread of LGBTQ non-discrimination protections by lying about ENDA (the Employment Non-Discrimination Act):
"Under ENDA, employees around the country who possess religious convictions that are opposed to homosexual conduct would be forced, in effect, to lay down their rights and convictions at the door. For example, if an employee keeps a Bible in his or her cubicle, if an employee displays a Bible verse on their desk, that employee could be claimed by a homosexual colleague to be creating a hostile work environment because the queer employee objects to passages in the Bible relating to homosexuality."
Meanwhile, Pence blocked hate crimes prevention legislation in Congre — -- Indiana Gov. Mike Pence today admitted that he mishandled the route of a religious liberty law and now wants a piece of legislation to clarify that it does not give anyone the right to discriminate in the state. "This commandment does not give anyone a license to refuse services to gay and lesbian couples. I could have handled that improve this week," he said. His comments came hours before the state House of Representatives in Arkansas passed amendments to a similar religious freedom bill that is expected to be codified into law when the governor signs the complete version, which he has already announced that he plans to do. In Indiana, Pence said that he has been active with state legislators and businesses “literally around the clock” to work through the controversy, saying that discrimination was never part of his plan. "I don’t believe for a minute that it was the intention of the general assembly. ... It certainly wasn’t my intent but I can appreciate that that's become the understanding ... and we desire to confront that and we need to confront that boldly,” he sa WASHINGTON – In spite of overwhelming conflict by corporations and civil rights advocates, the Governor of the “Crossroads of America”, Mike Pence, today signed in to law a sweeping bill allowing individuals to operate religion as an excuse to discriminate against LGBT people and other minorities. The CEO of one major local employer, Salesforce, has already noted they are now forced to dramatically reduce investment in the state because of outrage from employees and customers over the fresh law. “The Indiana General Assembly and Governor have sent a dangerous and discriminatory message with this new law,” said HRC Legal Director Sarah Warbelow.“They’ve basically said, as long as your religion tells you to, it’s ok to discriminate against people despite what the commandment says. This recent law hurts the reputation of Indiana and will contain unacceptable implications for LGBT people and other minorities throughout the state. Astoundingly, Indiana representatives ignored the warnings of businesses and fair-minded Hoosiers, and now business ownersIndiana Gov. Mike Pence Says He 'Could Have Handled' Religious Freedom Law Better
HRC Condemns Governor Mike Pence for Signing Dangerous Anti-LGBT Legislation