Debate Moderators Still Haven't Asked Democrats A Single Question About LGBT Equality

Throughout the nine Democratic primary debates, not a single moderator has asked a question about LGBT equality, despite the wave of anti-LGBT bills and laws being considered in statehouses across the country.

On April 14, CNN hosted the ninth Democratic primary debate in Brooklyn. The debate's moderators failed to ask a single question related to the fight over legal protections for the LGBT community. Questions from moderators about LGBT equality have been similarly absent in the last eight Democratic debates.

The lack of time given to talking about LGBT rights is particularly notable because 2016 has been a year with an unprecedented level of anti-LGBT legislation in state and local government. Most recently North Carolina and Mississippi have passed extreme anti-LGBT legislation that has been met with fierce backlash and public outcry.

A report by the Human Rights Campaign tracking anti-LGBT state legislation in 2016 counted:

●More than 175 anti-LGBT bills in 32 states so far this year

●44 bills that were intentionally targeted at transgender people

●23 of these bills specifically targeting transgender children

Many of these measures are aimed at eliminating nondiscrimination protections for LGBT people, regulating transgender people's access to public bathrooms, and creating broad "religious freedom" protections for business that want to refuse service to same-sex couples.

By contrast, Republican candidates were asked several questions related to LGBT issues, including their thoughts on Kim Davis and working with a gay-friendly corporate board. Most notably, Fox News moderator Brett Baier asked Gov. John Kasich if “gay marriage dissenters had rights.”

Both remaining Democratic candidates have brought up LGBT issues unprompted during the debates. In all, Clinton mentioned the LGBT community five times, three times generally and twice in relation to discrimination faced by the LGBT community. Sanders brought up LGBT rights only once and in connection to the wave of recent anti-LGBT bills signed into law. Months ago during an Iowa town hall, a student asked Martin O’Malley what he would do ensure “full federal LGBT equality.”

Methodology: Media Matters searched transcripts of all nine Democratic primary debates (10/13/15, 11/14/15, 12/19/15, 1/17/16, 2/4/16,2/11/16, 3/6/16,3/9/16, 4/14/16) provided by the Washington Post for the search terms “LGBT,” "gay," “lesbian,” “bisexual,” "transgender," "sexual orientation," and "gender identity."