[ cheers and applause ] good evening, everyone, and welcome to a historic night. Cnns democratic president ial town hall, equality in america. Im don lemon, thank you so much for being here. There was a time when people were afraid, and you know many still are. Theyre afraid to come out to their friends and their families for fear of the consequences. Now it has been four years since the Supreme Court ruled same sex marriage is legal. It is a big step. But there is still a whole lot of work to do. Tonights cnn and the Human Rights Campaign have been hosting an unprecedented event where members of the Lgbtq Community and their allies can ask the candidates questions that are important to them. Well soon hear from senator amy klobuchar, julian castro, and businessman tom steyer. But first i want you to welcome to the stage now congressman beto orourke. Hey, everybody, good to see
you. How you doing, congressman . Good to see you. I saw you on the street and you introduced yourself. How m
is still legal, although it is not okay, to be fired in texas for your sexual orientation. in texas a state that had 30,000 children in the foster care system and a child protective services agency that was so underfunded that some of those children were sleeping underneath and on top of the desks at cps offices you can still by law be too gay to adopt one of those children into your loving hoe. and in texas as you alluded to, debated a transgender bathroom bill in our state amidst an epidemic of violence against transgender americans, especially transwomen of color. texas unfortunately leads the country in violence against transwomen of color. i m thinking of italy marlo who was just murdered in houston, texas right now and other women who are killed with virtual impunity in the united states of america. but here s why we have cause for hope. there are grassroots organizations, like equality texas, who are standing up for