Karma is cashing in her receipts against Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii.
Just days after announcing her 2020 Presidential bid, Gabbard has issued an apology for homophobic statements and antigay advocacy work done in her past.
The Hawaiian Democrat, who announced her presidential run January 11, told CNN she regrets her past positions opposing queer equality.
“First, let me say I regret the positions I took in the past, and the things I said,” she said. “I’m grateful for those in the LGBTQ+ community who have shared their aloha with me throughout my personal journey.”
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Gabbard becomes the latest figure in the public eye to face criticism for past homophobia. Yet unlike celebrities like Kevin Hart, Gabbard’s onus goes far beyond just tweets.
Prior to beginning her political career, Gabbard worked for the Alliance for Traditional Marriage, an antigay PAC run by her father, Mike Gabbard.
The Alliance worked to pass an amendment banning marriage equality at the state level. It also promoted conversion therapy, claiming in official documents that “there is no such thing as a homosexual.”
https://twitter.com/UrBroYo/status/1084349561324355585
After getting into politics in 2002, Gabbard won a seat in the Hawaiian House of Representatives. Upon her victory, she told the Honolulu Star-Bulletin “working with my father, Mike Gabbard, and others to pass a constitutional amendment to protect traditional marriage, I learned that real leaders are willing to make personal sacrifices for the common good. I will bring that attitude of public service to the legislature.”
Around that same time, she also claimed that “homosexual activists” had attacked her mother during a run for the state board of education.
In 2004, Gabbard also spoke out against both marriage equality and civil unions. She also claimed that no anti-queer discrimination occurs in Hawaiian public schools.
But in 2012, she changed her tune.
Gabbard endorsed nationwide marriage equality and claimed that her military service had helped her antigay positions evolve. Around that same time, she first apologized for her past views.
Nevertheless, in light of her presidential announcement, Gabbard’s past antigay comments and positions have again come under fire.
With other leading supporters of LGBTQ equality like Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris and Joe Biden rumored to or already announced their own White House bids, it’s likely Gabbard’s past positions will continue to stifle her campaign.
Related: Anti-Gay Gabbard Switches Teams
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cynicalsteve
Thank you, next…
misterjack
You keep right on evolving, girl…in ten-fifteen years I might forgive you.
Brian
It’s one thing to have uneasiness about sexual minorities. It’s quite a bit worse to publicly comment that hatred. It’s a whole other universe when you make it your JOB! She’s delusional to think she has a chance.
iamru2
Most politicians are delusional!
WSnyder
You should have apologized a while back and made amends by working with the LGBTQ Community for a while before announcing a run for President. You don’t have the qualities to BE President if less than 72 hours after announcing a run for office, you’re apologizing for things you did in the past. You should’ve have realized they’d come out, you should’ve have been proactive that they would. Instead, you’ve had a ‘gotcha’ moment days into you run. Bad decision[s], bad preparation, bad timing and bad foresight do NOT a President make.
Not Qualified, Sorry. Move Along….
GentlemanCaller
We have so many other choices for 2020, I don’t think we need to worry about this loathsome woman and her ridiculous opinions.
Brian
Why is she even bothering? She might as well announce her withdrawal from the campaign now and save everyone the time, money, and embarrassment.
Kangol
She’s probably a plant. Just Google her background on the Middle East, etc. It’s bad. I guess someone decided that since Drumpf and GOP going down in treasonous flames, let’s try the Democrats this time.
Kangol
She’s the Jill Stein of 2020, in Democratic clothing. This is the same woman who met with Assad, who’s spouted Russia propaganda, etc. Nope, Tulsi Gabbard, no thanks! 2016 was bad enough. Please, go away!
phillycap
Wow Tulsi Gabbard is an asshole? Tell me news, not history. She’s been an obnoxious, pain in the ass for the Democrats for years. Girl, bye.
iamru2
Gee a clueless hypocritical politician go figure!
Polaro
I accept her apology and will watch how she votes from her on out. I do not support her running for president, however.
gymmuscleboy
Give credit where credit is due. This is a step in the right direction and we would be wise to encourage it.
Unfortunately, this is not the first time that commenters are having a hard time with forgiveness. That is the kind of mean sentiment that we criticise anti-gay people for! Why do you think we have Trump?
justmythoughts
She would NEVER get my vote. Time to end the quest to be the nominee! Put some actual work in to help LGBT folks, but don’t expect to get our votes at this point (or probably ever).
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
CU Next Tuesday!!!
Or…….
Btich spelled with a capital “C”…..
redzebra1
No need to worry, if Biden runs in the primaries he’ll win the nomination by a landside!
Rex Huskey
bye felicia
Hdtex
She’s human garbage.
NEXT!
Ditamo
For those who don’t know, yes she was homophobic in her late teens early 20’s. However, she changed her position way before Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton. She has been fighting for gay rights for a while now. And her views on the LGBT community in her younger years was mostly driven from still being under her very conservative parents. She changed her view when she left home to the army and saw both the need for diversity and also how no one should be able to impose their religious views as government mandate.
This whole political hit piece is just the establishment democrats trying to end her career, since she is a progressive.
Everyone has the ability to change views, especially when they go from a sheltered life to living reality. And you can criticize her for her views 20 years ago, but her viewpoints and actions from 2012 till now shows that she is an ally, and more than that she is a progressive that wants to help all.
Topman60640
Oh wait, she jumps on the nationwide bandwagon when Ray Charles could have seen marriage equality heading right at her, and suddenly she’s an “ally?”
Trotting out HRC or Obama is “but what aboutism” at it’s very WORST. Let’s see, in 2005 to 2010 they were both powerful senators from top 10 electoral states, and she was diddlying around where, doing what?
Listen, the Dems have been f*cking gay people for years, but at least they bought us dinner first, (and let us pick up the $100,000,000+ in political donations check for the last 25 years.) Neither of them rate highly in my book, and HRC comes off worse, the stink of her support for DADT will never be shaken.
But all this SHAMELESS OPPORTUNIST has to offer is a half-hearted reach-around.
Epic fail.