Despite Sunday’s gloomy and chilly weather, the energy inside the Salamander Hotel in downtown Washington was warm and welcoming. With the U.S. Capitol, the National Mall, and the Washington Monument as a backdrop, political leaders from the LGBTQ movement gathered to celebrate the past year’s progress and reshape the path forward at the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund National Champagne Brunch. Their battle was tense, with the increasingly hostile Trump administration looming only a mile away.
Despite the current political climate, where many LGBTQ advocates are fed up with the future of LGBTQ rights, especially transgender members of the community, members of the LGBTQ community have come out in full force to support the next wave of LGBTQ elected officials (and “deserve”). Multicolored printed shirts and bright jackets filled the ballroom, and a cherry blossom centerpiece reflected the hotel’s location just meters from the Tidal Basin. After speeches by LGBTQ elected officials and allies, the overall mood remained upbeat as guests filed through long lines for seafood paella and waffles.
This year’s brunch, the 25th annual, featured a number of high-ranking LGBTQ elected officials and allies, from local offices to Capitol Hill, and representatives from red and blue states, of course, to discuss topics over drinks.
Among the guests at this year’s LGBTQ Victory Brunch, no one was more anticipated than 2028 presidential candidate and Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear. Mr. Beshear, the 63rd Governor of Kentucky and the state’s 50th Attorney General, received the Allyship Award and delivered the keynote address to more than 150 attendees at the National Brunch.
The governor has hinted many times over the past year that he would seek the Democratic seat in the 2028 presidential election, but he also touched on a wide range of topics in a pre-brunch conversation with journalists and in his much-anticipated keynote speech. He strongly condemned the use of discrimination as a political tool. He said Republicans are increasingly embracing this, especially for the transgender community. A.C.L.U. anti-LGBTQ tracker It currently represents 17 statewide bills passed across the country.
“It’s sad that some people are passing laws that discriminate solely for political reasons. They’re willing to disenfranchise someone just to ignite the base and get more votes,” Beshear said. “And it’s sad that the federal government now engages in almost every form of discrimination every day. It harms people who love this country and want to serve it. As a country, we’re going backwards.”
He went on to argue that while Democrats often tout themselves as the party of inclusivity, they still need to consider the gap between rhetoric and policy.
“Discrimination will never be tolerated. It is not a bargaining chip to win elections. I am against discrimination because it is wrong and it will always be wrong. We should not tolerate a little discrimination in order to do better at the polls and on election day. We should stand up for ourselves and become a party of true inclusion.”
He also highlighted his record protecting the most vulnerable people in his home state of Kentucky, where his father also served as governor from 2007 to 2015. Beshear continues to be a vocal advocate for LGBTQ rights and frequently opposes laws in the Bluegrass state. Senate Bill 150This would require parents to be notified when students come out at school, limit the use of pronouns to biological sex, and limit instruction on human sexuality in school curricula.
“I vetoed every anti-LGBTQ bill that came to my desk, and the next year I won re-election by 5 points in a state that Donald Trump would have won by 30 votes. So don’t tell me to throw someone under the bus. We can stand up for everything we believe in and still win. We can govern in a way that tells people you’re welcome and accepted. It makes a difference when the governor looks at you and says he’s happy to be with you.”
He also turned to the U.S. Supreme Court, saying the court is playing an increasingly detrimental role in LGBTQ rights.
“The Supreme Court’s decision to allow conversion therapy is wrong. It’s horrible, and torture is torture, and it should never be done in the name of religion or freedom of speech,” he said in his keynote speech. “I vehemently oppose the idea that this barbaric practice will continue. Torture is not a First Amendment right.”
In a conversation with journalists ahead of his keynote address, Beshear was asked how Democrats should approach LGBTQ rights, especially since the issue is so divisive nationally. He responded with a clear message centered on principles rather than politics.
“Never throw anyone under the bus. Stand up for what you believe in and don’t let the polls dictate what you believe in. If you’re not willing to stand up for what you believe in because of the polls, that’s not a real belief. We have to be a party where people can come and feel like they can be who they are. That’s how we win and that’s who we’re meant to be.”
One of the unique elements of Beshear’s approach to LGBTQ rights is his consistent use of faith alongside inclusion. He often frames the Bible as a call to love rather than exclusion, and argues against those who try to “love, vote and be like” differently, as he said in a speech. This framing suggests that he Approval rate 64% in All-red states voted for Trump by 30 points..
“Faith is about uplifting people, never kicking someone who is down. There are no asterisks or exceptions when we are told to love our neighbors as ourselves. There is no ‘unless’ people look different, pray differently, or love differently. We are simply called to accept and love one another. When people try to add commas, they are changing the message.”
He also briefly mentioned the possibility of running for president in 2028, reiterating his emphasis on inclusion over ambition.
“This has nothing to do with 2028. It has to do with right and wrong. No one should be thrown under the bus for political gain. We shouldn’t tolerate discrimination just to do better at the polls. That’s what people expect from us.”
Former Politico reporter and current MSNBC reporter Eugene Daniels attended the event and spoke to the Washington Blade about Beshear’s ability to bridge the divide on issues that tend to divide voters.
“The amazing thing about Andy Beshear is his ability to turn what many Democrats would call a cultural issue into a dinner table issue,” Daniels said. “He’s talking about protecting transgender children not just as policy, but as parents, as people of faith. That’s a relationship that many Democrats have a hard time building. He frames it in a way that resonates beyond politics, and that’s why he stands out.”
Victory Fund President Evan Roe also spoke at the event, stressing that the organization’s mission is not just focused on high-level office, but on electing LGBTQ leaders at the local and state level, where many important decisions are made.
“We focus on state and local races because that’s where a lot of the decisions are made,” Lowe said. “Even though Washington is taking opportunities away from people, we can protect them at the state level. We want LGBTQ people not only at the table, but setting the agenda. This is not just about representation, it’s about governing power. And we’re not letting up on the gas.”
Tristan Shucraft, founder and CEO of MISTR, a telemedicine platform specializing in HIV prevention, and owner of one of the world’s most famous LGBTQ clubs, the Convent in West Hollywood, California, was also in attendance, receiving the National Impact Award for his efforts to curb HIV through his telemedicine service MISTR.
“Eliminating HIV is within reach. We have the means now,” Shucraft told the audience, praising successive administrations’ efforts to stop the virus from continuing to spread to the LGBTQ community. “ADAP, the AIDS Drug Assistance Program, is currently under threat in 20 states, and we are stepping up to provide insurance and premium assistance. It doesn’t matter what role you hold, HIV is a solvable problem. If we can’t eliminate HIV, it’s not because we don’t have the tools, it’s because we don’t act.”
She went on to note that her much-hyped show, “Housewives of the Hills,” reported from the field by the Blade, showed that HIV prevention is something that everyone can tackle, including the notoriously mean housewives.
“It was a really great thing to have voices from all political parties come together. And I want six Latino boyfriends and seven Real Housewives to agree on something. I had high hopes for Congress.”
Wisconsin state Rep. Greta Neubauer also spoke to the Blade after addressing the crowd about what is being done in her state to advance the democracy and human rights agenda.
“We Democrats have long been in the minority in Wisconsin due to the messy Congressional map and the increased power of the Republican Party. So we want to achieve a trifecta this year to take Wisconsin in a new direction. We know our rights are under attack at the federal level. In Wisconsin, the people… We lost access to abortion, but thankfully it was restored by the courts.”Of course, we know that access to health care and our fundamental rights are essential, so we want to make sure we have a legislature that protects people from discrimination and helps all of us feel safe and welcome in our state. ”
Current D.C. Council member Brooke Pinto, who is running for Congress in Washington, also spoke to the Blade.
She emphasized the need for leaders who understand and fight for LGBTQ rights at all levels of public office amid the Trump administration’s takeover of the city.
“We have seen a regime that seeks to undermine people’s rights and dignity, which makes it even more important that we come together,” Pinto told the Blade. “In Washington, D.C., we are proud to be a place that not only protects our LGBTQ residents, but celebrates them. We continue to push back to ensure our community’s true rights and autonomy. This is about safety, dignity, and equality. And that work continues today.”
Victory Fund-endorsed Colorado Secretary of State candidate Amanda Gonzalez also gave an enthusiastic speech.
“They want us to be divided, they want us to be exhausted. But here’s what they don’t know: Democracy is a way to protect what we love: our families, our freedoms, and our futures,” Gonzalez said. “Love is stronger than corruption. Stronger than bullying. Stronger than hate. We’ve done it before and we’re going to do it again.”
Source: Washington Blade: LGBTQ News, Politics, LGBTQ Rights, Gay News – www.washingtonblade.com
