Augusta, ME – On the first day of the Maine Republican State Convention, the Party members moved swiftly to adopt platform amendments targeting trans and LGBTQ+ Mainers, including one amendment emulating Florida’s harmful “Don’t Say Gay” bill. Delegates also voted to reaffirm the the Party’s opposition to gay marriage, despite it being legally recognized in Maine since 2012 and nationally since 2015.
As Governor, LePage opposed the voter-approved legalization of same-sex marriage, despite the overwhelming support it received during the 2012 referendum campaign. He was also the first Governor in the county to veto a bill to ban conversion therapy, a cruel practice shown to harm LGBTQ+ youth. A bill banning conversion therapy was signed into law by Governor Janet Mills in 2019.
"The Maine GOP’s latest attack on Maine’s LGBTQ+ community is not just disturbing, but dangerous. It shows that they are more interested in attacking fellow Mainers and relaunching culture wars from the last decade than actually dealing with real issues affecting Maine’s hardworking families," said Speaker of the House Ryan Fecteau (D-Biddeford). "It's unbelievable that Republicans are still attacking marriage equality after it was overwhelming approved by Maine voters and then the Supreme Court made it illegal to deny the right to marry to same-sex couples. We all know and love someone who is gay. It is imperative that we don’t allow Paul LePage and other Republicans to let their hateful agenda govern Maine. We can not go backwards when it comes to protecting Maine's LGBTQ+ community."
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