All Americans should enjoy the same freedoms and share the same responsibilities.  Separate laws for certain groups of people have always been morally wrong, and I will do everything I can to ensure that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans are treated equally under the law.
-- Alexi Giannoulias

Marriage equality

Marriage as a religious institution should be governed by people's faith and the tenets of their religion. But marriage as a civil institution should be equal for all people, with all legal rights and responsibilities. All Americans in committed, long-term relationships should enjoy inheritance rights, hospital visitation rights, equal pension and health care benefits, and all of the other legal protections government affords married couples. Alexi supports the right of individual states to give same-sex couples the right to marry.  As a U.S. Senator, Alexi would work to ensure that the federal government recognizes these marriages by supporting the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act.
 

Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell

Brave men and women who are willing to fight and die for our country should be asked only one question: can they do the job?  That is why Alexi supports the repeal of the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.  He does not believe that there needs to be further study or review – the policy should be immediately repealed.
 

Hate crimes

Everyone is entitled to live in dignity without fear of violence.  Alexi would work to pass the Matthew Shepard Act, which would expand the federal hate crimes law to include crimes motivated by a victim's actual or perceived gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability.
 

Employment non-discrimination and sexual orientation

Alexi supports efforts to prohibit workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. As State Treasurer, he ended years of a misguided policy in his office by extending to domestic partners the same health benefits that married couples receive.  
 

Immigration

Alexi believes same-sex families should be subject to the same immigration laws as all other American families.
 

Family and medical leave

Unmarried domestic partners should enjoy the same benefits provided under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act as all other American families.  Alexi would push to include domestic partners under FMLA so that they can care for their new children or for loved ones in times of need.  The first step should be passage of the Domestic Violence Leave Act, which expands the FMLA to include domestic partners.