Republican nominees at a debate, whose comments regarding gay rights have attracted attention from LGBT groups. (Associated Press)

I would say that I am fairly politically savvy.

That is, I know more than most, less than some and about enough to make somewhat educated decisions about the facts I need to consider when it comes to whom I want to vote for in any given election.

I will admit, like most Americans, I am apathetic at best when it comes to local elections. However, I will hide behind the (somewhat) ignorant defense that because I am attending college at an out of state school, these elections neither help nor harm me for the time being.

That being said, I also have to admit that I am infuriatingly blind to many of the issues in the looming presidential election because of what should be an inconsequential and essentially peripheral part of my identity: I’m gay.

In most situations I find myself able to keep my homosexuality precisely as I described it — an inconsequential part of my identity that, at most, is at the periphery of my non-romantic relationships and interactions.

The Republican candidates, however, are doing about as much as they can to be sure that my sexuality is at the forefront of my mind in the upcoming election.

To be frank, I lean pretty far to the left on most issues.

I like the idea of state funded arts organizations, spending more on education and the silly little things that right-wingers hate because guns are not involved.

But my most immediate issues with the Republican candidates is completely independent of those things.

Whether behind the pretense of religious belief or not, every candidate has made disparaging comments about the LGBT community.

Before I venture into this territory, let me be clear: I am all about religious freedom and respecting the beliefs of everyone.

Unfortunately, these people are not running to be the head of the church of America. They want to be the head of state.

Therefore, their religious beliefs have no business being part of their platforms.

Naturally, when candidates say they want to repeal the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell or that they want to make sure that marriage equality never happens on a federal basis, some red flags go up.

What frustrates me most is that these candidates — and the Republican party as a whole — are isolating influential voters simply because they don’t think that members of the LGBT community should be treated equally.

Most of the candidates are sensible enough to at least stick their heads, à la ostrich, in the ground and think that if the American public wanted equality, it would be voted upon and would subsequently happen.

Newsflash folks! The reason this is an issue is because enough people are against LGBT equality.

Fortunately, history has shown us that a legislative change can help spark a social attitude change (as was the case with the Jim Crow laws). Obviously, there are still racist people in the world, but at least the law isn’t explicitly on their side.

Yet, if the Republican candidates get their way, homophobes will have the law on their side. See the problem?

This November I more than gladly am going to go to the ballot boxes to defend my place in American society.

At the same time, I will be hoping that in the not-so-distant future, my voting choice will not be constrained by my desire to have a legal union to a person of the same sex or to risk my life for my country while having a picture of my husband on the night stand.

We’ll see what the future holds for gay rights. But in the meantime, don’t be surprised to see me sporting an Obama T-shirt on the boulevard.

Alex is a sophomore majoring in voice performance.