Tracks Nightclub Gets Democratic

Tracks isn’t usually a place you’d expect to go to talk politics, but on June 5, it was home to a debate between four of Colorado’s primary candidates for governor who attended ONE Colorado’s first gubernatorial debate of LGBTQ issues. Rather than blaring music and dancing bodies, the room was filled with people quietly listening to candidates present their views of issues affecting the LGBTQ community.

All four Democratic primary candidates for governor: Cary Kennedy, Mike Johnston, Donna Lynne, and Jared Polis, were present. No Republican candidates were present, most likely due to a conflicting Republican primary debate which 9NEWS was hosting that evening. Daniel Ramos, executive director of ONE Colorado, said that they invited all four Republican candidates and heard back only from Doug Robinson, who was not able to attend.

Nearly 400 people attended the event, including numerous volunteers from each attending candidates’ campaign. Some passed out rainbow-striped paraphernalia, and in the case of Polis’ team, signs saying “take that, Mike Pence!”

Ramos said the event had been in the works for months, and it was a complete coincidence that it happened only days after the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Masterpiece Cake shop in Masterpiece Cake shop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission. That being the case, there was a lot to discuss and people were eager to hear the candidates’ plans for ensuring the continuing rights of LGBTQ Coloradans.

Ramos moderated the event, and first asked candidates to describe their involvement with the LGBTQ community. Lynne, a former executive at Kaiser Permanente and current Lieutenant Governor of Colorado, cited her work with LGBTQ clients in the healthcare industry. Johnston, a former teacher and principal before becoming a legislator in the Colorado Senate, spoke about his work with LGBTQ youth in schools. All candidates referenced LGBTQ friends or family members.

Polis, the only LGBTQ candidate, and if he wins the first openly gay man to be elected governor, had an advantage at the debate. But addressing the crowd during the opening remarks, the Congressman said he didn’t want people’s support “because I’m gay,” but because he believes he is the most qualified candidate.

Ramos then asked the candidates a range of policy questions, including how to combat LGBTQ homelessness since 40% of homeless youth identify as LGBTQ, how to improve healthcare for LGBTQ people, and how to better serve LGBTQ youth in schools.

A common theme in the debate was the need for services that transgender and LGBTQ youth can have access to. Polis called for a need to ban conversion therapy for minors in the state of Colorado, referring to the practice as “torture.” Kennedy, a former Colorado State Treasurer whose main campaign platform is education reform, spoke passionately about the need to protect LGBTQ youth from bullying in schools. Lynne furthered the discussion of transgender rights by stating that while things have improved for trans Coloradans, access to healthcare and mental health care is still lacking.

This lack of resources is due to both the high costs of treatment not always covered by insurance, and the difficulty of finding providers who are LGBTQ-friendly and educated about trans issues. All candidates affirmed the need to improve healthcare for LGBTQ people, and make the bureaucratic process smoother for transgender people changing their legal documentation.

In the second half of the forum, Ramos raised the specific question on everyone’s mind: how the candidates would protect LGBTQ rights in a post-Masterpiece Colorado. Polis spoke about the need to protect the Colorado Civil Rights Commission, and drew on his own experience as a person of faith to show that “there is nothing contradictory between religious freedom and LGBT protection.”

Kennedy said that if she was elected, she would veto any law that weakens anti-discrimination protections, and if the Trump administration undid any federal civil rights administrations she would sue them. Kennedy stated that Colorado needs to be a “leader” in protecting civil rights.

Johnston talked about when Colorado was referred to as the “hate state” because of the Colorado Second Amendment, and said that he never wanted the state to have that reputation again. He promoted #OPENCO, a campaign for wedding vendors to display signs affirming that they supported and would serve LGBTQ people, and encouraged audience members to only give their patronage to vendors who displayed the sign.

The forum ended civilly, with candidates reiterating their platforms and asking for audience support in the primaries.

ONE Colorado is not making any endorsements for primary candidates, but after the Colorado primaries on June 26, Ramos said they will make endorsements for a range of candidates and release a voter’s guide before the general election in November. Ramos stated that he considered the event “a success,” and plans to hold similar forums during future elections.

While pride month is usually associated with glitzy parties and exuberant parades, more mundane events like the forum are just as important. When pride was first being formed, the idea that LGBTQ voters were an important group that deserved to be reached out to by major political candidates was unheard of. The fact that LGBTQ rights are currently an important political platform is proof of how much has changed. So before July comes and you put all your pride gear away, don’t forget to vote. Your future could depend on it.

Photo courtesy of Jared Polis on Facebook