Walz bizarrely claims it’s ‘illegal’ to be gay in Nebraska while touting Harris’ advocacy of LGBTQ+ rights

WASHINGTON, DC: Kamala Harris' running mate Tim Walz faced quite a backlash online after falsely claiming it was illegal to be gay in the state of Nebraska when he was growing up.

The Democratic vice presidential nominee spoke at the Human Rights Campaign’s national dinner on Saturday night, September 7. The high-profile dinner, attended by 3,500 supporters of the nation's largest LGBTQ+ organization, was a night of celebration.

Walz—who was headlining the event—entered the ballroom to the tune of John Mellencamp's 'Small Town' and received a standing ovation.

Tim Walz makes false statement about gay rights in Nebraska

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz praised the work of Vice President Harris and President Joe Biden in protecting LGBTQ+ rights. He pointed to their efforts toward healthcare, the military, and education.

“And the reason she did it was pretty simple. Kamala Harris believes in equal justice under law, and that means proper, complicated, equal justice under law. It is not to be debated,” Walz said. “It’s not that difficult.”

However, the Minnesota Governor raised eyebrows with one bizarre claim. "Think about this. When I was a kid growing up in Nebraska, being gay was illegal. It's still technically illegal," he told the crowd.

This statement quickly raised eyebrows as being gay in Nebraska is, in fact, legal. The state has protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Same-sex marriage has also been recognized in Nebraska since 2015.

Tim Walz faces backlash on social media

Tim Walz's comments did not go unnoticed, with many on social media accusing him of lying and spreading misinformation.

"All Tim Walz does is lie in the most insulting ways possible, he’s simply a terrible human being. He should be in jail for his stolen valor. His IVF lie was just weird. Now he’s lying about homosexuality in Nebraska?" one posted on X.

"This is coming from the guy who lied about his valor. If he’s willing to lie about valor, he’s willing to lie about anything. He cannot be trusted!" another insisted.

"Tim Walz is completely lying by saying it’s illegal to be gay in Nebraska. He knows the truth but he just can’t quit lying," a third user added.

"How can anyone take this man seriously when openly lies about things that are quickly disproven??" someone else wondered.

"The truth is nowhere near this campaign. I don't see how they continue to spread this throughout our country and call themselves American," read a comment.

"Timmy is the perfect candidate for stupid people. You know who they are: the ones that were surprised to learn Biden is Demented and think Kamala is filled with Joy," another chimed in. 

Kamala Harris and Tim Walz's LGBTQ+ advocacy

Despite the controversy, it's worth noting that Tim Walz and Kamala Harris have been strong advocates for LGBTQ+ rights.

Shortly after President Biden announced he would not be seeking reelection in 2024 and endorsed Harris as his successor, the Human Rights Campaign also threw its support behind her. The organization acknowledged her selection of Walz as her running mate, citing his longstanding support for LGBTQ+ youth and his backing of same-sex marriage.

During his speech at the dinner, Walz recounted his own experiences advocating for LGBTQ+ rights. He shared a story from his time as a social studies teacher and football coach at a Minnesota high school in the 1990s, where he was asked by a student to serve as the faculty adviser for the Gay-Straight Alliance.

Walz also lauded Harris' LGBTQ+ achievements, recalling an episode when she was the Attorney General of California. He described how Harris had to intervene directly with a Los Angeles clerk who was refusing to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

“‘You must start the marriages immediately,’” Harris reportedly told the clerk, adding, “‘Have a good day. It’s going to be a fun one.’”

Walz also warned of the potential consequences of a second Trump term, alleging that the former president's policy proposals could “restrict freedom, bully this community, demonize vulnerable children".

Trump has pledged to stop public schools from promoting gender transition and to revoke federal funding from schools that teach “radical gender ideology".

The 45th POTUS also said he would punish doctors who provide gender-affirming care to transgender youth by cutting them off from Medicare and Medicaid, and would target teachers who “suggest to a child that they could be trapped in the wrong body".

At a recent event for Moms for Liberty, Trump insisted that public schools are performing gender-affirming surgeries on students.

“Your kid goes to school. And comes home a few days later with an operation,” Trump said, repeating the claim at a rally shortly afterward.

According to the Associated Press, however, transgender youth rarely undergo gender-confirmation surgery

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.