Record Number of LGBT Delegates to Attend Democratic Convention

A record number of LGBT delegates will attend the Democratic National Convention in Denver, according to the party’s gay wing, the National Stonewall Democrats.
The group said that when final number counts are released in Denver, it is expected that more than 350 LGBT participants will attend the convention.
This would represent approximately 6 percent of total convention attendees and is a 27 percent increase from the 282 LGBT participants who attended the Democratic National Convention in Boston in 2004.
“The Democratic Party is being positively shaped by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender advocates who believe in Democratic principles of fair play, hard work, security at home and equal opportunity for all,” said Jon Hoadley, Stonewall Democrats Executive Director.
“The Democratic National Convention is an avenue for our community to participate in civic life and advance the values that the majority of Americans share. Many of our brightest elected officials, chapter leaders and party officers began their participation in Democratic politics as delegates to past conventions and by increasing the number of LGBT participants, we are growing the ranks of future Democratic leaders,” she said.
Hoadley said that the unofficial count is based on numbers reported by state Democratic parties to the Secretary’s Office of the Democratic National Committee.