by Mike Andrew - SGN Staff Writer

Donald Trump may have emerged as the least obnoxious Republican candidate - at least as far as LGBT rights are concerned.

While Trump has become infamous for barely concealed racism directed at Hispanic and Muslim immigrants, he showed surprising openness to Transgender people in an April 21 interview with NBC's Today Show.

'North Carolina did something that was very strong, and they're paying a big price. And there's a lot of problems,' Trump said about a recently passed North Carolina law that, among other things, bars Trans people from gender-appropriate restrooms.

'Leave it the way it is. North Carolina, what they're going through, with all of the business and all of the strife - and that's on both sides - you leave it the way it is. There have been very few complaints the way it is. People go, they use the bathroom that they feel is appropriate. There has been so little trouble. And the problem with what happened in North Carolina is the strife and the economic punishment they're taking.'

Trump went on to say that if Caitlyn Jenner visits Trump Tower, she would be free to use any restroom she chooses.

In contrast, Ted Cruz - who Jenner prefers as a potential Republican presidential nominee - suggested at an April 18 Good Morning America town hall that LGBT Americans already have adequate legal protections.

Todd Calogne, a married Gay man who is also a registered Republican and owner of a pizza parlor in New York City, asked Cruz what he would do to protect him and his husband as a married couple.

'When it comes to religious liberty, religious liberty is something that protects all of us; it applies to Christians, it applies to Jews, it applies to Muslims, it applies to atheists,' Cruz said. 'That freedom ultimately protects each and every one of us.'

When asked about the Supreme Court's Obergefell decision legalizing same-sex marriage nationally and what should happen to same-sex couples who are already married, Cruz replied that marriage laws should be settled on the state level rather than the federal level.

The Texas senator has previously promised to appoint Supreme Court justices who would overturn the Obergefell decision and return control of marriage laws to state legislatures. Trump has made similar statements.

On April 17, John Kasich, the third Republican in the race for president, also came out against the North Carolina legislation, but said Trans people should 'get over' their outrage and pray for bigots.

On CNN's State of the Union, John Kasich said he would 'probably not' have signed the North Carolina law if he had been governor, but he would not try to prevent states from passing similar laws.

'What I like to say is, just relax,' Kasich said, 'if you don't like what somebody is doing, pray for them. And if you feel as though somebody is doing something wrong against you, can you just for a second get over it?'

'Everybody, chill out, get over it if you have a disagreement with somebody,' he added.

Kasich has attended the wedding of a Gay family friend, while saying publicly that he supports only opposite-sex marriage.

 Share on Facebook

Share on MySpace!

    Share on Delicious

Share on StumbleUpon!