Clinton Talks LGBT Issues with Ellen

On Monday, April 7, Ellen DeGeneres hosted Presidential hopeful Sen. Hillary Clinton on her daily talk show, Ellen. Though the two joked about Clinton’s relationship with Madonna (they’re cousins!?) and the Senator’s attempt to “bowl for voters” (you've got to see it for yourself), the conversation turned serious as Clinton told Ellen she was vowing to “defend gay rights as President and eliminate inequalities for same-sex couples in Federal law.”

Clinton went on to tell a personal story from her childhood about her family’s gay neighbors and how her close-minded father grew to love and accept them — and how the candidate herself saw firsthand how her family’s dear friends were denied hospital visitation rights when one of the men got sick. “That made such an impression on me,” she told Ellen, “and I’m going to do everything I can so that people like you and [partner] Portia have a chance to have rights...We just have to make this much more fair.” 

Kudos to Ellen for making sure Clinton addressed issues that are not only important to her personally, but to many in her audience as well. As we’ve seen in recent months, Ellen has spoken passionately about the shooting death of teen Lawrence King and about Oklahoma State Rep. Sally Kern's anti-gay rhetoric. With the immense popularity of Ellen the show, Ellen the entertainer is able to create a bridge that makes the discussion of LGBT issues accessible and urgent for all Americans, and to hold the candidates accountable for their support of the LGBT community.

Damon Romine is Director of Entertainment Media