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–House Speaker Mike Johnson -------------------------- John—When I was elected to Congress, I became the first openly gay, Black member to ever serve and was one of only nine openly gay members in the House. The truth is, growing up, I never imagined someone like me could run for Congress, let alone be elected. There were no examples to look up to. I had to overcome walls of internalized self-doubt and uncertainty caused by rampant anti-LGBTQ+ stigma and hate. It took me well into adulthood, during law school, for me to finally come out. One of my proudest moments was presiding over the House of Representatives when my groundbreaking bill with Rep. Jerry Nadler, the Respect for Marriage Act, passed. It is legislation requiring the recognition of same-sex and interracial marriage equality laws passed by the states. It is a testament to the progress we’ve made toward LGBTQ+ equality and a reminder of what’s possible when we fight for it. But Speaker Mike Johnson would tear it all up if given the option. He’s called LGBTQ+ people a “deviant” group, worked for over a decade for the anti-LGBTQ+ hate group Alliance Defending Freedom, and sponsored a national “Don’t Say Gay” bill in Congress just last year. I'm ready to fight back, but to do that in the halls of Congress I need your help. Chip in any amount to send me back to Congress and continue the fight for the LGBTQ+ community and equality for all. If you've saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will go through immediately: Johnson is as extreme and hateful as they come. He partnered with groups that performed so-called "conversion therapy," an abusive and disproven tactic. And he filed a legal brief supporting the criminalization of same-sex relationships. This isn't some run-of-the-mill homophobe. This is an all-out bigot with an agenda. I worry deeply about every gay and trans person in our nation looking to our political leaders and seeing Mike Johnson. I worry about the bullying, harassment, and violence that now has a platform because of the GOP’s decision to make him Speaker. Every GOP member of Congress—including my opponent Mike Lawler—supported Mike Johnson and is complicit in his hate and bigotry. But I’m not just going to worry; I’m prepared to act. I am fiercely committed to defeating the MAGA hate, retaking our House majority, and continuing to fight for LGBTQ+ equality and the right of every human to live freely and love who they choose. Please help me continue the fight by chipping in $5 or any amount you can to ensure I have what it takes to win my race, flip NY-17, and retake our majority today. Let's send Mike Lawler and Mike Johnson packing. While members of the LGBTQ+ community have rights that were unimaginable just a decade ago, the sad truth is, it’s still harder and more dangerous for LGBTQ+ people—especially young trans people—to live. LGBTQ+ youth are twice as likely to be homeless as their straight, cisgender counterparts, and state legislatures are sinking to extreme new lows to undermine equality, ban books by gay authors, and enact hateful and misinformed laws against trans people. I'm ready to get to work and fight for equality. I hope you are too. Yours in the fight, Mondaire PS: If you or someone you know is struggling with bullying and harassment, or problems with mental health, or is in need of support, please know help is available. Click here for resources and more information.
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