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Bernie Sanders and Andrew Yang Won't Attend Either LGBTQ Forum

Both have cited scheduling conflicts.

Democratic presidential candidates Bernie Sanders and Andrew Yang will not be present at two separate LGBTQ forums.

The first event takes place Friday, September 20, in Iowa, and is presented by GLAAD, One Iowa, The Advocate, and The Gazette.

Candidates confirmed to participate include Joe Biden, Cory Booker, Pete Buttigieg, Julián Castro, Tulsi Gabbard, Kamala Harris, Amy Klobuchar, Joe Sestak, Elizabeth Warren, and Marianne Williamson. It will be hosted by Pose star and transgender activist Angelica Ross.

Erin Clark for The Boston Globe via Getty Images

NASHUA, NH - JUNE 29: U.S. Senator and presidential candidate Bernie Sanders waves to supporters while marching down Main Street in the Nashua Pride parade in Nashua, NH on June 29, 2019. (Photo by Erin Clark for The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

Additionally, HRC and CNN have teamed up to host a Town Hall on LGBTQ issues on Thursday, October 10, the eve of National Coming Out Day, in Los Angeles. It will mark the first time such an event has been broadcast on a major news channel. Both Democratic candidates will also miss that event, with CNN reporting they have cited scheduling conflicts as the reason. Neither Sanders nor Yang's official websites or Facebook pages list events for that day. Sanders is holding a town hall in Greensboro, North Carolina on September 20.

So far, the October event is set to include Biden, Booker, Buttigieg, Castro, Harris, Klobuchar, Beto O'Rourke, Tom Steyer, and Warren.

Both Sanders and Yang's sites include mention of LGBTQ rights under their issues of concern.

Sanders pledges to fight for the passage of "the Equality Act, the Every Child Deserves a Family Act and other bills to prohibit discrimination against LGBTQ+ people." He also states, through his website, that he will fight for the community have access to health care, work to end bullying in schools, protect the rights of LGBTQ people around the world, support policies that lead to better policing, fight against discrimination under the guise of "religious liberty," as well as against discrimination by banks and other financial institutions.

Bastiaan Slabbers/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Democratic Presidential hopeful businessman Andrew Yang speaks at the Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO Workers Presidential Summit, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, PA, on September 17, 2019. (Photo by Bastiaan Slabbers/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Yang speaking at the Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO Workers Presidential Summit, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, PA, on September 17, 2019.

Yang's site says: "Sexual orientation and gender identity should be protected classes under the law, receiving all the federal protections afforded under the Constitution and law."

"We’re pleased to see such strong interest among the candidates to participate in the historic Power of our Pride town hall and articulate their visions for LGBTQ people,” said HRC President Alphonso David in a statement.

“For many of the 57 million Equality Voters across the country, the event will mark the first time they will hear from this Democratic presidential field about how they plan to achieve full federal equality for LGBTQ people, among other issues vital to the community. Our community is at a crossroads and we must identify a leader who can defeat the anti-LGBTQ Trump-Pence ticket and reverse their many attacks on LGBTQ people. Given the high number of candidates participating, this event is poised to help us do just that.”

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