‘I’m fine with that’
In the wake of Donald Trump’s election, there has been a wave of fear through a number of traditionally marginalized communities, ranging from women, to minorities, Muslims, and the LGBTQ community.
However, during his first interview as president-elect, Trump told CBS’s “60 Minutes” that the issue of marriage equality is settled in his mind and that he supports the LGBTQ community.
“It’s irrelevant because it was already settled. It’s law,” Trump told Leslie Stahl. “It was settled in the Supreme Court. I mean, it’s done. I’m fine with that.”
Close observers of politics will note that Trump has been a supporter of gay rights, at least in his rhetoric, throughout his campaign. He was the first Republican to have a member of the LGBTQ community give a keynote at the Republican National Convention and in the campaign’s final week, even help up a rainbow flag offered up to him by LGBTQ Republicans. He also named that same keynote speaker, Silicon Valley giant Peter Thiel, to be a member of his transition team. Theil is a despised by the mainstream media because of his lawsuit that effectively ended the news site Gawker, which has colored his role with the Trump campaign.
In fact, Trump appeared to bristle slightly during his interview when asked about members of the LGBTQ community being fearful in the wake of his election.
“And yet I mention them at the Republican National Convention and everybody said that was so great. I have been a supporter,” he insisted.
Still, most of the names floated for a potential role in Trump’s administration have been openly hostile to the LGBTQ community, so many are taking his personal moderate stance with skepticism. But his comments on “60 Minutes” could be the opening to some much needed cultural healing if he follows through on them with action.
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