Democratic Party (United States)

==== LGBT rights ====
{{see also|LGBT rights in the United States}}
The Democratic position on [[LGBT rights in the United States|LGBT rights]] has changed significantly over time.<ref name="Igielnik-2022">{{Cite web |last=Igielnik |first=Ruth |date=November 16, 2022 |title=Backdrop for Vote on Same-Sex Marriage Rights: A Big Shift in Public Opinion |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/16/us/politics/same-sex-marriage-public-opinion.html |access-date=November 17, 2022 |website=[[The New York Times]] |archive-date=November 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221116235133/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/16/us/politics/same-sex-marriage-public-opinion.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Lindberg-2022">{{Cite web |last=Lindberg |first=Tim |date=August 2, 2022 |title=Congress is considering making same-sex marriage federal law – a political scientist explains how this issue became less polarized over time |url=https://theconversation.com/congress-is-considering-making-same-sex-marriage-federal-law-a-political-scientist-explains-how-this-issue-became-less-polarized-over-time-187509 |access-date=August 14, 2022 |website=Kansas Reflector |language=en-US |archive-date=August 23, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220823203344/http://theconversation.com/congress-is-considering-making-same-sex-marriage-federal-law-a-political-scientist-explains-how-this-issue-became-less-polarized-over-time-187509 |url-status=live }}</ref> Before the 2000s, like the Republicans, the Democratic Party often took positions hostile to LGBT rights. As of the 2020s, both voters and elected representatives within the Democratic Party are overwhelmingly supportive of [[LGBT]] rights.<ref name="Igielnik-2022" />

Support for same-sex marriage has steadily increased among the general public, including voters in both major parties, since the start of the 21st century. An April 2009 ABC News/''Washington Post'' public opinion poll put support among Democrats at 62%.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://abcnews.go.com/images/PollingUnit/1089a6HotButtonIssues.pdf|title=Changing Views on Social Issues|date=April 30, 2009|access-date=May 14, 2009|archive-date=November 10, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101110130400/http://abcnews.go.com/images/PollingUnit/1089a6HotButtonIssues.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> A broad majority of Democrats have supported other LGBT-related laws such as extending [[hate crime]] statutes, [[Employment Non-Discrimination Act|legally preventing discrimination against LGBT people in the workforce]] and repealing the "[[don't ask, don't tell]]" military policy. A 2006 [[Pew Research Center]] poll of Democrats found that 55% supported gays adopting children with 40% opposed while 70% support [[Sexual orientation and military service|gays in the military]], with only 23% opposed.<ref>[http://people-press.org/report/273/less-opposition-to-gay-marriage-adoption-and-military-service Less Opposition to Gay Marriage, Adoption and Military Service] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110310052909/http://people-press.org/report/273/less-opposition-to-gay-marriage-adoption-and-military-service |date=March 10, 2011}}. [[Pew Research Center]]. March 22, 2006.</ref> Gallup polling from May 2009 stated that 82% of Democrats support open enlistment.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gallup.com/poll/120764/conservatives-shift-favor-openly-gay-service-members.aspx|title=Conservatives Shift in Favor of Openly Gay Service Members|publisher=[[The Gallup Organization|Gallup.com]]|date=June 5, 2009|first=Lymari|last=Morales|access-date=August 25, 2010|archive-date=May 1, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160501214245/http://www.gallup.com/poll/120764/Conservatives-Shift-Favor-Openly-Gay-Service-Members.aspx|url-status=live}}</ref> A 2023 Gallup public opinion poll found 84% of Democrats support same-sex marriage, compared to 71% support by the general public and 49% support by Republicans.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.gallup.com/poll/506636/sex-marriage-support-holds-high.aspx|date=June 5, 2023|title=U.S. Same-Sex Marriage Support Holds at 71% High|first1=Justin|last1=McCarthy|access-date=June 5, 2023|archive-date=June 5, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230605083325/https://news.gallup.com/poll/506636/sex-marriage-support-holds-high.aspx|url-status=live}}</ref>

The 2004 Democratic National Platform stated that marriage should be defined at the state level and it repudiated the [[Federal Marriage Amendment]].<ref name="platform">{{cite web|url=http://www.democrats.org/pdfs/2004platform.pdf |title=The 2004 Democratic National Platform for America|url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041013001521/http://www.democrats.org/pdfs/2004platform.pdf |archive-date=October 13, 2004 }}&nbsp;{{small|(111&nbsp;KB)}}</ref> [[John Kerry]], the Democratic presidential nominee in 2004, did not support same-sex marriage in [[John Kerry 2004 presidential campaign|his campaign.]] While not stating support of same-sex marriage, the 2008 platform called for repeal of the [[Defense of Marriage Act]], which banned federal recognition of same-sex marriage and removed the need for interstate recognition, supported antidiscrimination laws and the extension of hate crime laws to LGBT people and opposed "don't ask, don't tell".<ref>{{cite web |last=Garcia |first=Michelle |url=http://www.advocate.com/print-issue/advance/2012/04/22/year-democrats-embrace-marriage-equality |title=Is This the Year Democrats Embrace Marriage Equality? |publisher=Advocate.com |date=April 22, 2012 |access-date=October 2, 2013 |archive-date=October 4, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004234045/http://www.advocate.com/print-issue/advance/2012/04/22/year-democrats-embrace-marriage-equality |url-status=live}}</ref> The 2012 platform included support for same-sex marriage and for the repeal of DOMA.<ref name="NPR-2012">{{cite web |work=All Things Considered |url=https://www.npr.org/2012/09/04/160562404/democratic-platform-endorses-gay-marriage |title=Democratic Platform Endorses Gay Marriage |publisher=Npr.org |date=September 4, 2012 |access-date=October 2, 2013 |archive-date=October 5, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005001326/http://www.npr.org/2012/09/04/160562404/democratic-platform-endorses-gay-marriage |url-status=live}}</ref>

On May 9, 2012, [[Barack Obama]] became the first sitting president to say he supports same-sex marriage.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57431122-503544/obama-backs-same-sex-marriage/|title=Obama backs same-sex marriage|work=[[CBS News]]|date=May 9, 2012|access-date=May 9, 2012|archive-date=May 10, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120510010911/http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57431122-503544/obama-backs-same-sex-marriage/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="The Huffington Post">{{cite news|url=https://huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/09/obama-gay-marriage_n_1503245.html|title=Obama Backs Gay Marriage|author=Sam Stein|date=May 9, 2012|work=The Huffington Post|access-date=December 6, 2019|archive-date=September 20, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180920002222/https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/09/obama-gay-marriage_n_1503245.html|url-status=dead }}</ref> Previously, he had opposed restrictions on same-sex marriage such as the [[Defense of Marriage Act]], which he promised to repeal,<ref name="LGBT">{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/issues/issues.samesexmarriage.html|title=Same-sex Marriage – Issues – Election Center 2008 |publisher=CNN |access-date=January 19, 2015|archive-date=April 28, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160428162155/http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/issues/issues.samesexmarriage.html|url-status=live}}</ref> California's [[Prop 8]],<ref>[http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/07/02/obama_opposes_gay_marriage_ban.html Obama Opposes Gay Marriage Ban] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110926223051/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/07/02/obama_opposes_gay_marriage_ban.html |date=September 26, 2011}}. ''[[The Washington Post]]''. By Perry Bacon Jr. July 2, 2008.</ref> and a [[constitutional amendment]] to ban same-sex marriage (which he opposed saying that "decisions about marriage should be left to the states as they always have been"),<ref>[http://obama.senate.gov/press/060607-obama_statement_26/index.php Obama Statement on Vote Against Constitutional Amendment to Ban Gay Marriage] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081208020010/http://obama.senate.gov/press/060607-obama_statement_26/index.php |date=December 8, 2008}}. [[United States Senate]] [http://senate.gov/ Official Website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161228084718/http://www.senate.gov/ |date=December 28, 2016}}. June 7, 2006.</ref> but also stated that he personally believed marriage to be between a man and a woman and that he favored civil unions that would "give same-sex couples equal legal rights and privileges as married couples".<ref name="LGBT" /> Earlier, when running for the Illinois Senate in 1996 he said, "I favor legalizing same-sex marriages, and would fight efforts to prohibit such marriages".<ref>{{cite news |url=https://huffingtonpost.com/2009/01/13/obama-once-supported-same_n_157656.html |title=Obama Once Supported Same-Sex Marriage 'Unequivocally' |publisher=Huffingtonpost.com |date=January 13, 2009 |access-date=June 17, 2010 |first=Jason |last=Linkins |archive-date=May 12, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110512012736/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/01/13/obama-once-supported-same_n_157656.html |url-status=live}}</ref> Former presidents [[Bill Clinton]]<ref>{{cite news | url=http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2009/09/25/video-clinton-shifts-on-gay-marriage/ |work=CNN |title=Video: Clinton shifts on gay marriage |access-date=May 1, 2010 |date=September 25, 2009 |archive-date=December 26, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091226140541/http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2009/09/25/video-clinton-shifts-on-gay-marriage/ |url-status=live}}</ref> and [[Jimmy Carter]]<ref>{{cite news|date=March 19, 2012|url=https://huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/19/president-jimmy-carter-bible-book_n_1349570.html|title=President Jimmy Carter Authors New Bible Book, Answers Hard Biblical Questions|work=The Huffington Post|access-date=June 26, 2012|first=Paul|last=Raushenbush|archive-date=June 25, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120625134951/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/19/president-jimmy-carter-bible-book_n_1349570.html|url-status=live}}</ref> along with former Democratic presidential nominees [[Al Gore]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://current.com/items/88817757_gay-men-and-women-should-have-the-same-rights.htm |title=Gay men and women should have the same rights // Current |publisher=Current.com |date=January 17, 2008 |access-date=June 17, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091129220957/http://current.com/items/88817757_gay-men-and-women-should-have-the-same-rights.htm |archive-date=November 29, 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and [[Michael Dukakis]]<ref>{{cite web|last=Israel|first=Josh|title=Mondale and Dukakis Back Marriage Equality|website=[[ThinkProgress]]|date=May 16, 2013|url=https://thinkprogress.org/mondale-dukakis-back-marriage-equality-joining-every-living-democratic-presidential-nominee-56a1d402991d/|access-date=November 4, 2019|archive-date=November 4, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191104164913/https://thinkprogress.org/mondale-dukakis-back-marriage-equality-joining-every-living-democratic-presidential-nominee-56a1d402991d/|url-status=live}}</ref> support same-sex marriage. President [[Joe Biden]] has supported [[same-sex marriage]] since 2012, when he became the highest-ranking government official to support it. In 2022, Biden signed the [[Respect for Marriage Act]]; the law repealed the Defense of Marriage Act, which Biden had voted for during his Senate tenure.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Cournoyer |first1=Caroline |title=Joe Biden Endorses Gay Marriage |url=https://www.governing.com/archive/Joseph-Biden-Endorses-Gay-Marriage.html |website=Governing |date=May 7, 2012 |access-date=February 9, 2021 |archive-date=February 22, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210222013528/https://www.governing.com/archive/Joseph-Biden-Endorses-Gay-Marriage.html |url-status=live }}</ref>