When the senator was asked about having an openly gay son - including his Instagram account, which prompted Jones to quip, “We’ve all seen it” - he said “it would be misleading” if he said that didn’t affect his views because “at the end of the day, a lot of this is so personal.” The senator joked he’s “often times more widely known as the father of Carson Jones,” whom he said is “rapidly becoming a legend in his own mind.”
Key to the senator’s views on LGBT rights were his son, Carson Jones, a gay student at Colorado State University who has gained a following from his Instagram account. “It’s an issue that I think needs to be addressed, and hopefully it’s being addressed more, I think, as issues of equality are becoming more acceptable to the South,” Jones said. Although the Matthew Shepard & James Byrd Hate Crimes Prevention Act allows the Justice Department to collect data on anti-LGBT hate crimes, Jones said many state and local governments still resist the practice out of “fear of social backlash, political backlash.” One way in which Jones said he seeks to advance LGBT rights is through data collection on hate crimes. The website for the Library of Congress indicates Jones became the 46th co-sponsor for the bill on Tuesday. Senate that would add sexual orientation and gender identity to federal civil rights laws. Jones said he co-sponsors the Equality Act, legislation introduced by Sen. “If that will happen, it will rank right up there with the Obergefell decision. Asked what he thinks will be the next big thing for LGBT rights, Jones said it would be instituting non-discrimination protections for LGBT people in the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which he called “very, very important.” Many of the questions posed by staffers were non-LGBT related: What has surprised him the most as a senator? “My damned schedule.” What’s his goal for staff representation? “Finding the best people, seeking diversity and having Alabama connections.” As a former Senate staffer, what advice would he give current staffers? “Do everything possible to make your boss look absolutely the best.” When he was introduced as its distinguished guest, Jones replied, “Who is that?” attorney was quick-witted throughout the GLASS event. “It speaks a lot when a voice from the Deep South can talk about equality issues, especially given the history of Birmingham, Ala., and racial discrimination that was practiced so much in the South, and still, to some extent, around the country today,” Jones said. Jones said his commitment to LGBT rights continues. “Some people got a little bit concerned about how it’s used, and I said, ‘Why? I answered the question about transgender people in the military honestly, the way I think, and so, what the hell? We shouldn’t be worried about that.’ And so, we never pulled back, we never backed off.” “We had the campaign trolls, or whatever it is, get me on camera, video,” Jones said. The video was posted to YouTube by someone who thought those views would harm Jones’ campaign and gave it the title, “Doug Jones commits political suicide in Alabama Senate Race!” The prediction of the individual who posted the video proved incorrect. Over the course of his campaign, Jones was seen on video expressing support for transgender rights, declaring his opposition to the Trump administration revoking Obama-era guidance ensuring transgender kids have access to school restrooms consistent with their gender identity and Trump’s attempt to ban transgender people from the U.S. We made clear where the Doug Jones campaign was on all issues involving equality.” “I wanted to make that front and center in the primary campaign and for that to be an issue in the general election. “I also knew that ultimately we were going to be running against someone in Alabama who was as far from equality as you could possibly get,” Jones said. Senate, Moore called for the impeachment of the judge who ruled against Trump’s transgender military ban. After saying in 2005 he thinks homosexuality itself should be illegal, Moore as a former Alabama Supreme Court Justice, urged probate judges in Alabama to ignore court rulings in favor of same-sex marriage. In contrast to Jones, his opponent in the special election, former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore, holds draconian views on LGBT rights. The Washington Blade was the exclusive media outlet invited to the event. Jones answered questions from members of the LGBT affinity group for Senate staffers during the 40-minute talk before posing with them for photos. Jones made the remarks before Gays, Lesbians & Allies Senate Staff, or GLASS, during an event hosted by the organization in the Russell Senate Office Building. “Being from Alabama, we really made a point of stepping out there this past year on equality issues,” Jones said.
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