The GOP is scrambling to improve its cred among Hispanics, African-Americans, women … but what about the gay community? That's a minority whose relationship with the Republican party is, um, complicated.
But gay Republicans do exist — and some of them are in town for the RNC this week.
What's it like to be a gay Republican — seen in some quarters as a walking contradiction in terms? What's the prognosis for support of same-sex unions in the GOP? What would a Romney presidency mean for the LGBT community? Florida is starting to elect openly gay Democratic legislators; are there any openly gay Republicans waiting in the wings?
We'll discuss these questions and more tonight at Creative Loafing's panel discussion, "LGBT@the RNC: Oxymoron or Happy Marriage?" from 6:30-8 p.m. at CL Space, 1911 N. 13th St., Ybor City, Tampa. Panelists are Sarah Longwell, a member of the Leadership Committee of Young Conservatives for the Freedom to Marry and national board secretary of Log Cabin Republicans; Sally Phillips, president of the Florida GLBT Democratic Caucus; and Nadine Smith, executive director of Equality Florida. CL Editor in Chief David Warner will moderate.
And come hungry: We'll be serving hate-free chicken sandwiches from Hamburger Mary's.
CL Space is located in the Creative Loafing offices in Ybor Square, directly above Spaghetti Warehouse. Admission to the panel is free. For more info, call 813-739-4854.
This article appears in Aug 23-29, 2012.