Out lesbian rocker Melissa Etheridge gently faced off with conservative The View co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck over gay marriage rights and Proposition 8 on Tuesday’s show. And in a rare move, Hasselbeck backed down and made nice and then Etheridge and Hasselbeck said “I love you,” to each other.
There to promote her holiday release Blue Christmas: A New Thought for Christmas the conversation quickly turned to same-sex marriage when Hasselbeck mentioned that the election in which Barack Obama was elected President but also saw the stripping away of marriage rights for gay couples in California via Prop. 8.
“The election was bittersweet for you…” Hasselbeck said, kicking things off.
“I’m a lesbian,” Etheridge responded in a faux whisper. She went on to discuss the hope surrounding Obama’s election followed by the bitter pill of Prop. 8.
“One, to see human rights be up for a vote in this Prop. 8 and to have people vote to take away those rights, to me, at the core, is very un-American,” Etheridge said.
Etheridge spoke of how Prop. 8’s passage energized the LGBT community and supporters to begin making a real case for marriage equality.
The multi-Grammy winner turned pointedly to co-host Whoopi Goldberg and said, “Whoopi, you spoke so clearly and we appreciate the conversation you had.”
But Etheridge didn’t leave it at that. She accused Hasselbeck of attempting to mislead viewers by obfuscating the facts. “I was saddened with your conversation, only because I feel you misled people…”
Hasselbeck maintained her position that the people of California had voted and that the vote should stand but added that it wasn’t personal for her. “The rights should be equal,” Hasselbeck said.
“So you’re saying you’re for gay marriage? Or same-sex marriage?” Etheridge asked Hasselbeck point blank, to which Hasselbeck repeated it wasn’t personal to her.
Sherri Shepherd interrupted the debate to send Etheridge to the microphone but not before Etheridge and Hasselbeck made nice.
Etheridge said, “You know I love you.” And Hasselbeck said “I love you too.”
