Dem Presidential Hopeful Apologizes for Past Anti-LGBTQ Comments

One of several Democrats to have thrown their hat into the ring for the upcoming 2020 presidential election is already apologizing for past remarks against the LGBTQ community.

Tulsi Gabbard campaigned against equal marriage rights in the late 1990s and early 2000s, alongside her father.

Though Gabbard was a teenager during at least part of that time, her stance against same-sex marriage continued at least through 2002 when she ran for state legislature in Hawaii, and 2004, when she was quoted as being against a civil unions bill.

“To try to act as if there is a difference between ‘civil unions’ and same-sex marriage is dishonest, cowardly and extremely disrespectful to the people of Hawaii,” she said. “As Democrats we should be representing the views of the people, not a small number of homosexual extremists.”

At some point during the years that followed, Gabbard’s views shifted.

During her Congressional run in 2012, she offered up the following apology:

“I want to apologize for statements that I have made in the past that have been very divisive and even disrespectful to those within the LGBT community. I know that those comments have been hurtful and I sincerely offer my apology to you and hope that you will accept it.”

She seems to have followed her words with action, having supported a number of pro-LGBTQ laws during her time in Congress.

Moreover, she’s apologized again since her new campaign was announced on Friday.

“First, let say I regret the positions I took in the past, and the things I said. I’m grateful for those in the LGBTQ+ community who have shared their aloha with me throughout my personal journey. Over the past six years in Congress, I have been fortunate to have had the opportunity to help work toward passing legislation that ensures equal rights and protections on LGBTQ+ issues, such as the Equality Act, the repeal of DOMA, Restore Honor to Service Members Act, the Employment Non-Non-Discrimination Act, the Safe Schools Improvement Act, and the Equality for All Resolution. Much work remains to ensure equality and civil rights protections for LGBTQ+ Americans and if elected President, I will continue to fight for equal rights for all.”

Gabbard has previously shared that many of her earlier beliefs were formed by growing up in a conservative household.

In addition to her father running an anti-gay political action committee dedicated to protecting “traditional marriage” in the late ‘90s and early ‘00s, he was also the director of a group called Stop Promoting Homosexuality and hosted an anti-gay radio show, Let’s Talk Straight Hawaii.

Gabbard credits her time spent overseas in the Iraq War as helping to cause the shift in her views, away from what her family had believed.

“That caused me to really deeply reflect and be introspective on the values and beliefs that I had grown up with,” she said, speaking to the impact of seeing what a government that has acted as the “moral arbiters for their people” made.

“So it was a process that I went through that changed my views in many ways and in many big ways to the views that I hold today.”