What does LGBT stand for?
African-American LGBT community
The African-American LGBT community is part of the overall LGBT culture and overall African American culture. LGBT (also seen as LGBTQ) stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and/or queer. The LGBT community did not receive societal recognition until the historical marking of the Stonewall Riots in 1969 in New York at Stonewall Inn. The Stonewall riots brought domestic and global attention to the lesbian and gay community. Proceeding Stonewall, Romer v. Evans vastly impacted the trajectory of the LGBT community. Ruling in favor of Romer, Justice Kennedy asserted in the case commentary that Colorado's state constitutional amendment "bore no purpose other than to burden LGB persons".
Timothy N. Philpot
Philpot made further controversial comments after the 2015 decision in "Obergefell v. Hodges", legalizing gay marriage throughout the United States. Philpot described gay marriage as an oxymoron, the Supreme Court's decision as "pretty close to insane," and described homosexual relationships as "sterile" and "just entertainment." He also described homosexuality as a choice, saying that children now have "got to decide which gender to date"; this matches his previously expressed views that the gay lifestyle is a "destructive lifestyle" and that it is a "behavior, it's not genetic." LGBT rights advocates challenged these views as showing a "fundamental misunderstanding of what it means to be LGBT" and as evidence of a "deep disrespect for LGBT people and their families." Judges have a First Amendment right to express their views so long as they do not influence their decisions. Philpot has presided over many cases with LGBT people and lawyers who have been involved report that he does not base his decisions on a litigant's sexuality. Speaking of his religious views, Philpot has stated that "I don't mention Jesus inside the courthouse very much, even when I know he is absolutely the only answer to the problem in front of me." Philpot has also stated that "half the adoptions I do are for gay people. And they're not bad people," and that he loves homosexuals. Philpot regrets, however, that friendships between straight men are affected as they are unable to hug in the way they used to, and that the rainbow, a symbol from the Bible, had been "stolen" – and he plans to put a rainbow on the back of his car.