Tim Walz and Cynthia Erivo Inspire at the HRC Gala
Democratic vice presidential nominee Walz rallied LGBTQ voters around Kamala Harris's presidential campaign while Eviro spoke of coming out.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz appeared at the Human Rights Campaign’s National Dinner in Washington, D.C. on September 7, seeking to activate the LGBTQ communities — including potential donors and campaign volunteers — to back his running mate, Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, in November’s upcoming federal elections.
The Democratic vice presidential nominee played to the party’s base in his speech, appealing to a key constituency within the Democratic-leaning coalition by hitting on several major accomplishments of the Biden-Harris administration regarding LGBTQ issues.
This includes the passage of the Respect for Marriage Act, a variety of pro-LGBTQ executive orders signed by President Biden, the repeal of a Trump-era ban on transgender military service, and reforms to make it easier for transgender individuals to obtain identity documents reflecting their gender identity.
Walz touted Harris’s record on LGBTQ issues and her steadfast support of the community dating back to her time as California’s attorney general. He recounted a well-known story about how Harris had to personally call a Los Angeles clerk who was declining to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples even after the voter-approved ban on such unions, Proposition 8, was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court.
“The reason she did it was pretty simple,” Walz said. “Kamala Harris believes in equal justice under law, and that means proper, complicated, equal justice under law. It is not to be debated. It’s not that difficult.”
Walz shared some of his personal biography, recalling how, as a high school social studies teacher and assistant football coach, he agreed to serve as faculty advisor to the school’s new Gay-Straight Alliance. He also said that, when he first ran for Congress in 2006, he ran as the rare Democratic candidate who openly supported legalizing same-sex nuptials.
He brought up his record on LGBTQ issues as governor of Minnesota, noting that he worked with a House narrowly controlled by Democrats and a one-seat Democratic majority in the State Senate to push through a ban on conversion therapy, establish Minnesota as a “trans refuge” state for people fleeing restrictions on gender-affirming care, and prohibit public libraries in the state from restricting access to books with LGBTQ content.
Walz attacked Republicans for their focus in recent years on passing anti-LGBTQ legislation.
“This is what these folks are focusing on,” he said, referencing the litany of Republican efforts to restrict LGBTQ rights. “Like reading about two male penguins who love each other is somehow going to turn your children gay…. It’s a fact of life some people are gay, but you know what’s not a fact of life? That our children get shot dead in schools.”
He referenced Project 2025, which outlines major policy priorities for a future Republican presidency, including efforts to deny recognition of LGBTQ identity. Walz implied that — despite Trump’s efforts to distance himself from the initiative — Republicans are fully intent on carrying out Project 2025’s policy prescriptions if they seize control of the presidency and both Houses of Congress.
“As a football coach, if somebody takes the time to draw up a playbook, they’re going to use it,” he said.
Walz admitted he was “preaching to the choir” by making his remarks in front of an overwhelmingly friendly audience, but noted that it was important for LGBTQ people to become engaged politically with the election happening in fewer than 60 days.
“What this election boils down to, in a lot of ways, it’s fundamentally about freedom,” he said. “Donald Trump and JD Vance, their idea of freedom is that the government should be free to invade every corner of our lives — our bedrooms, our kid’s schools, even our doctor’s office.
“When it comes to personal things, bodily autonomy, your gender identity, when to start a family, marrying who you love… I think we just need to be really good neighbors. Everyone just deserves to be treated with respect, [and have the] freedom to make that choice.”
The star-studded fundraising dinner for the nation’s largest LGBTQ advocacy group featured performances by Lady J and Asher HaVon, remarks from the organization’s president, Kelley Robinson, and other appeals to attendees to become financial supporters of the organization’s lobbying efforts and voter engagement campaigns taking place in various swing states.
Singer and actress Cynthia Erivo, star of the upcoming film adaptation of the Broadway musical Wicked, was honored for her LGBTQ advocacy with HRC’s National Equality Award.
Erivo had previously received HRC’s Ally for Equality Award at the organization’s Atlanta gala in 2019, but noted that she was accepting this year’s award as an out and proud member of the LGBTQ community.
She recounted how she had struggled with coming out, noting that the process is “laced with fear and doubt,” but also walked the audience through her own decision to embrace her identity fully.
“It took me time to own all of who I am,” she said. “And it took me time to speak openly about my queerness. Being truly authentic in this industry can be hard — there are standards that I just simply do not fit into. But I have always believed, and believe, that there is such beauty in difference and individuality. But what lured me out of the proverbial closet was the urge to create as my fullest self.
“I have said before, that when we spend energy hiding parts of ourself, we steal energy away from our purpose. And I had to claim the beauty of my queerness. I was no longer interested in shortchanging myself. And more importantly, I could no longer allow myself to shortchange you.”
Erivo noted that full equality for all LGBTQ people in society has not been fully realized, but said she hoped that being her authentic self would serve as an example to other LGBTQ people who have not embraced their full identities for a variety of reasons.
“My mission is to keep showing up as me, taking up space, and making more space for anyone behind me,” she said. “I hope to create a few less traveled, less perilous paths so that your journey to being out and proud can be clearer, and more joyful, less doubtful, and full of light. So that hopefully, the more of us who are living and thriving, on or off screen, on stage or not, the closer we will get to equality.”
Watch Walz’s and Erivo’s remarks below:
Watch Erivo’s remarks below:
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