Background: Howard Dean is the head of the Democratic National Committee. As Governor of Vermont, Howard Dean signed Vermont's landmark civil union legislation. The law grants gay and lesbian couples the same basic legal rights as married couples. How does he stand on other issues of importance to gays and lesbians?
Employment Non-Discrimination: Howard Dean supports the enactment of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA).
Gender Identity Employment: Dean supports passage of a federal bill to outlaw discrimination in the workplace based on gender identity and expression.
Hate Crimes: Dean supports the inclusion of sexual orientation and gender identity in Federal Hate Crimes Law. Currently laws do not include gender identity or sexual orientation, but do include race, religion and national origin.
Same-Sex or Gay Marriage: Dean opposes same-sex marriage, but thinks the federal government should recognize legal unions created by states and other countries. Dean said, Democrats are not for gay marriage, but "We are the party that has always believed in equal rights under the law for all people."
Family Medical Leave: Dean supports extending the Family Medical Leave Act to domestic partners and their children.
Same-Sex Immigration: Dean supports the Permanent Partners Immigration Act (H.R. 832) which would allow American citizens to sponsor their same-sex partner for immigration into this country.
Gay and Lesbian Adoption: Dean supports same-sex adoption.
Don't Ask, Don't Tell: Dean supports the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" which would allow gay, lesbian and bisexual soldiers to serve openly in the military.
Dean Comments: On Hate Crimes: "The murder of Matthew Shepard in Wyoming was not an isolated incident, but part of persistent anti-gay violence in the United States. I support the enactment of the Local Law Enforcement Act to help states investigate and prosecute bias crimes and add 'sexual orientation' to the list of protected categories in federal hate crimes statute."
On Don't Ask, Don't Tell: "Last November, several Arabic and Korean linguists from the Army's Defense Language Institute were discharged for being gay despite the critical need for qualified linguists in the war on terror. That was wrong. As President, I will offer gay and lesbian soldiers the opportunity to serve our country openly."
