Human Rights Campaign and CNN are partnering to host a Democratic presidential town hall on LGBTQ issues. The forum will, like those on climate change and other issues, feature candidates back to back. They’ll take questions from CNN journalists and from the audience.
Candidates must qualify through both donor and polling thresholds, and have until Sept. 25 to reach the required four national polls above 2%. Former Vice President Joe Biden, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro, Sen. Kamala Harris, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, and Sen. Elizabeth Warren have already both qualified and said they will participate.
“This town hall comes at a critical time in our fight to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people in this nation," said HRC president Alphonso David. “Today, in 30 states, LGBTQ people remain at risk of being fired, evicted or denied services because of who we are. Thirty-five states have yet to ban the dangerous and debunked practice of 'conversion therapy,' which is harming our young people. Hate crimes are rising, and more than 100 transgender people—most of whom are transgender women of color—have been killed in the United States in the last five years.”
The town hall will take place on Oct. 10, the night before National Coming Out Day.