Are the LGBT the next frontiers in the US general elections?

Orlando’s heinous mass shooting incident by gunman in a gay night club now reveals an intriguing perspective into the coming protracted general elections in the United States of America. The attack has been attributed to terror link, global leaders condemning the attack. Barrack Obama termed the incident an act of terror and hate, further stating that the attack wasn’t against the (LGBT) Lesbians, Gays, Bisexual and Transgender communities but an assault to the American citizenry.

In the wake of this tragedy however, the stake of LGBT on America’s Presidential elections is a discourse worth engaging in at this point going forward.

Democratic presumptive nominee, Hillary Clinton tweeted "To the LGBT community: please know that you have millions of allies across our country. I am one of them.” Her close rival, Bernie Sanders also weighed in the debate saying

“At this point we do not know whether this was an act of terrorism, a terrible hate crime against gay people… but our thoughts are with the injured and the entire Orlando LGBTQ community”

The stake of the LGBTQ in US elections has been high. Contenders for the Oval office often embroiled in the dilemma of whether or not to support the legality of LGBTQ.

Early this year, Human Rights Campaign foundation, the largest LGBT civil rights organization in the US endorsed Hillary Clinton for presidential candidature after showing support for the LGBT community, promising to rally behind her its 1.5 million members towards her Oval office bid.  The group’s President said that they fear having gains of the community reversed should a conservative President be elected into office, especially after an act of parliament legalizing LGBTQ was passed into law last year.

 It is however prudent to note that Clinton stance towards the LGBT has been marred with controversy over time. She was a sharp critic against the LGBT community as New York Senator, as first lady, up until 2008 when she became the US Secretary of States under Obama presidency. It was during her tenure under Obama tenure that she reconciled and made strong ties with the community.

Her landmark stance against the LGBT was recorded when she, as the first lady endorsed an act of parliament, dubbed The Defense of Marriage Act, 1996, that illegalized same sex marriage, which unfortunately got floored down, termed as unconstitutional and unfair to a select section of Americans who had chosen that life. Coincidentally, Bernie sanders her close rival in this year’s presidential bid, vehemently opposed the Act and indeed won when the act was floored.

 Could we then argue, that her soft stance on legality of LGBT debate has changed over time, due to her strong need for appeal to a sizeable LGBT community that today, more than any time in history, cannot be ignored in the political math of US presidential bid; or is it a long kept secret of her former rival, immediate president Obama, on the intrigues of winning the Oval bid?

It should not again pass our ears that President Barrack Obama has fought for greater inclusiveness of the LGBT. He shrewdly shaped the discourse around the legality of the LGBT, thereby attracting more reason to his candidature against his close rival, Hillary Clinton both in his 2008/13 bid.

In his second inaugural address as the US president, he said "Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law—for if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well."

From these arguments we can close in on the fact that truly, the LGBT community has a stake in the making of the next American president; and that there is growing pressure for representation among this group, and any leader, supporting their course becomes an automatic preferred candidate? This going forward is done in the hope of progressively seeking support, acceptance and peaceful coexistence the LGBT community in our societies.

In the wake of this tragedy however, the stake of LGBT on America’s Presidential elections is a discourse worth engaging in at this point going forward.