Log Cabin Republicans say it’s OK to be gay, GOP

DENVER - Gay Republicans attending a national convention here know they’re a small minority in a party opposed to same-sex marriage and laws banning discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Still, many Log Cabin Republicans think they’ve got plenty of allies in the GOP — the problem is finding them. For some gays, acknowledging support for traditional Republican positions such as low taxes and a strong national defense is like revealing a deep secret.

Some closet conservatives turned up for Adam Crowley, president of the Log Cabin Republicans Colorado chapter, when he gave a talk recently to a gay and lesbian business group.

“After I spoke to them, I had some people come up and say ‘I’ve never told anyone, but I’m Republican,’” Crowley said.

Persuading people that not all Republicans oppose gays is a frequent theme in discussions at the Log Cabin Republicans national convention. The event began Thursday in Denver and concludes today.

Reaching out to other gays is especially challenging, several members said, because Republicans are widely viewed as opposing gays on social or religious grounds.

Ted Jackson, a member from Sacramento and former Log Cabin consultant, said the perception masks a large number of gays who disagree with the GOP on some social questions but otherwise support the party’s positions.

“There’s a lot of (gay) Republicans out there, and they’re afraid to admit it,” he said.

People attending the convention blamed that perception on the influence of religious conservatives. They described yelling matches at gay-pride parades and other episodes in which activists disputed the idea that a person can be Republican and in favor of gay rights.

“I meet people who say ‘I used to be a Republican, but the crazy right has taken over,’” said Cyd Zeigler, a member from New York City. “I tell them ‘The crazy right has taken over because you left.’”

Another problem for Log Cabin Republicans is marginalization within the party.

About 120 Log Cabin Republicans, including about a dozen women, gathered at a Denver hotel Thursday afternoon for a talk by former Wyoming Sen. Alan Simpson. Many consider Simpson a key GOP ally for his support of gay rights.

“Don’t give up on the Republican Party, yet anyway,” Simpson said. “Don’t stereotype the party on a few ‘cuckoos’ who never give up on their bitterness, hostility and venom.”

Group members said part of the reason for welcoming gays into the GOP is they’re already highly engaged in party business. A recent survey of Log Cabin Republican members found 29 percent have served on local or state party committees, and 75 percent have contributed volunteer work for a political campaign.