This article highlights Gwen Walz’s speech at a Human Rights Campaign dinner in Minneapolis, where she criticized former President Donald Trump and Ohio Senator JD Vance, particularly regarding LGBTQ+ issues and their involvement in conservative policies.
Speaking to a crowd of 600, she emphasized the importance of protecting LGBTQ+ rights, including her husband Tim Walz’s efforts as governor to ban conversion therapy and protect gender-affirming care.
Walz humorously recounted her days as a high school teacher, creating safe spaces for LGBTQ+ students, and praised her husband’s advocacy, tying it to his broader political campaign as Kamala Harris’ running mate.
She took on issues such as school shootings, rejecting Vance’s comment that they are a “fact of life,” and condemned Republican efforts to ban books related to LGBTQ+ topics.
Walz warned of Project 2025, a far-right political plan, underscoring the need to resist regressive policies.
The speech framed the 2024 election as a crucial fight for the freedoms of marginalized communities, advocating for progress rather than retreat.