With the election season upon us, many staffers will ask if their candidates should tap into the GBLT base to draw up support for their campaign. Many people inside the GBLT communities hold personal opinions that the community is more politically active and engaged than heterosexuals.
"Our community is more politically involved because of the threats and opportunities we face,” said Chris Sanders, Nashville Committee Chair of Tennessee Equality Project. “At the state level, we face a number of threats in the form of discriminatory legislation. At the local level, our opportunity in cities throughout Tennessee is to advance nondiscrimination measures.”
Researchers have even been examining the scope of GLBT political involvement. Specifically, three researchers from New York University, Rutgers University, and Hunter College. CUNY completed the first every study looking at this issue, thanks to a grant from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRCF).
The survey, “The Hunter College Poll”, was compiled with 768 gays, lesbians, gays, and bisexuals. (It should be noted that this study did not compile the statistics for the transgender population, because it was infeasible to obtain a representative sample.)
The research found that many assumptions are true: GLBs are much more interested in politics than the typical American. They also feel that more citizens should stay informed of current events and perform jury duty.
“[GLBs] are more interested in politics, they express higher levels of sense of civic duty, and they participate in politics and civic affairs at higher rates than the average America,” read the report, Finding from the Hunter College Poll of Lesbians, Gays and Bisexuals: New Discoveries about Identify, Political Attitudes, and Civic Engagement.
The Tennessee General Assembly has concluded for the year, and the campaign season is beginning. To be successful, candidates may want the endorsement of such groups as Tennessee Equality Project.
“Candidates who want our support should reach out to our community intentionally,” said Sanders. “Working the crowd at Pride celebrations around the state is the best opportunity to reach a large audience. Advertising in our publications sends a signal.
Sanders added that incumbents should talk positively about their record of support on GLBT issues and that it makes sense for them to do so on their websites and in their other communication vehicles.
“It always makes me glad to see our TEP PAC logo on the website of a candidate we've endorsed,” he said. “We certainly welcome candidates who reach out to us for an endorsement. We look at their outreach, their record, and their answers to questions about public policy."