American politician Tulsi Gabbard has apologised for comments she’s made in the past about gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.
Gabbard is from Hawaii and currently serves in the US congress. Last week she announced her intention to seek the Democratic party’s nomination to become their candidate for the 2020 Presidential election. Gabbard joins a crowded field of contenders vying for the chance to become dethrone current president, Republican Donald Trump.
LGBTI rights groups and other democrats immediately questioned Gabbard’s suitability for the nomination highlighting a range of comments she’d made in the past arguing against same-sex marriage.
Gabbard has responded saying that over recent years her views had substantially changed.
“In my past, I said and believed things that were wrong, and worse, hurtful to people in the LGBTQ+ community and their loved ones,” Gabbard tweeted, along with a video. “I’m deeply sorry for having said and believed them.”
Gabbard said she had previously apologised for what she’d said and the negative impact it had on people’s lives.
Gabbard said she has previously been a supporter of her father’s campaigns against same-sex marriage, and had been brought up to believe marriage was only between a man and a woman. She said she no longer held those views, and was committed to fighting discrimination.
Gabbard’s father Mike Gabbard was the head of The Alliance for Traditional Marriage, an organisation that promotes conversion therapy and lobbied against same-sex marriage and civil unions. Tulsi Gabbard also worked for the lobbying group.
The politician changed her mind and voiced her support for marriage equality back in 2012, and said her views had changed after she served several tours of Afghanistan as a member of the armed forces.
OIP Staff
