Tulsi Gabbard Apologizes for Past Anti-LGBTQ Views in Video Statement: ‘I’m Deeply Sorry’

GABBARD Aloha In my ░░░░░░░░ I said and believe ░░░░░░░░ that were wrong And ░░░░░░░░ they were very hurtful ░░░░░░░░ people in the LGBTQ ░░░░░░░░ and to their loved ░░░░░░░░ Many years ago I ░░░░░░░░ for my words and ░░░░░░░░ importantly for the negative ░░░░░░░░ that they had I ░░░░░░░░ repeat my apology today ░░░░░░░░ m deeply sorry for ░░░░░░░░ said them My views ░░░░░░░░ changed significantly since then ░░░░░░░░ my record in Congress ░░░░░░░░ the last six years ░░░░░░░░ what is in my ░░░░░░░░ A strong and ongoing ░░░░░░░░ to fighting for LGBTQ ░░░░░░░░ Now I know that ░░░░░░░░ people still struggle they ░░░░░░░░ still facing discrimination still ░░░░░░░░ abuse and still fear ░░░░░░░░ hard won rights are ░░░░░░░░ to be taken away ░░░░░░░░ people who hold views ░░░░░░░░ I used to That ░░░░░░░░ happen because every American ░░░░░░░░ to be treated equally ░░░░░░░░ their fellow Americans and ░░░░░░░░ the law I will ░░░░░░░░ to fight for LGBTQ ░░░░░░░░ whether they re in ░░░░░░░░ serving in uniform trying ░░░░░░░░ get health care taking ░░░░░░░░ of their family or ░░░░░░░░ for a home Now ░░░░░░░░ grew up knowing that ░░░░░░░░ person is a child ░░░░░░░░ God and equally loved ░░░░░░░░ God And I ve ░░░░░░░░ believed in the fundamental ░░░░░░░░ and equality of all ░░░░░░░░ but I also grew ░░░░░░░░ in a socially conservative ░░░░░░░░ where I was raised ░░░░░░░░ believe that marriage should ░░░░░░░░ be between a man ░░░░░░░░ a woman So for ░░░░░░░░ period of my life ░░░░░░░░ didn t see the ░░░░░░░░ in those beliefs While ░░░░░░░░ Americans may be able ░░░░░░░░ relate to growing up ░░░░░░░░ a conservative home my ░░░░░░░░ s a little different ░░░░░░░░ my father was very ░░░░░░░░ He was an activist ░░░░░░░░ is fighting against gay ░░░░░░░░ and marriage equality in ░░░░░░░░ and at that time ░░░░░░░░ forcefully defended him and ░░░░░░░░ cause But over the ░░░░░░░░ as I grew up ░░░░░░░░ formed my own opinions ░░░░░░░░ on my life experiences ░░░░░░░░ significantly changed my views ░░░░░░░░ a very personal level ░░░░░░░░ truly having aloha love ░░░░░░░░ all people and making ░░░░░░░░ that every American regardless ░░░░░░░░ sexual orientation is treated ░░░░░░░░ under the law I ░░░░░░░░ forward to being able ░░░░░░░░ share more of my ░░░░░░░░ and my experiences growing ░░░░░░░░ not as an excuse ░░░░░░░░ in the hopes that ░░░░░░░░ may inspire others to ░░░░░░░░ live aloha to love ░░░░░░░░ care for others When ░░░░░░░░ deny LGBT people the ░░░░░░░░ rights that exist for ░░░░░░░░ American we re denying ░░░░░░░░ humanity denying that they ░░░░░░░░ equal And we re ░░░░░░░░ creating a dangerous environment ░░░░░░░░ breeds discrimination and violence ░░░░░░░░ when we divide people ░░░░░░░░ on who they are ░░░░░░░░ who they love all ░░░░░░░░ re doing is adding ░░░░░░░░ to the flames that ░░░░░░░░ bigotry and hatred Now ░░░░░░░░ m so grateful to ░░░░░░░░ friends my loved ones ░░░░░░░░ gay and straight who ░░░░░░░░ patiently helped me see ░░░░░░░░ my past positions on ░░░░░░░░ issues were at odds ░░░░░░░░ my values my aloha ░░░░░░░░ that they were causing ░░░░░░░░ harm I regret the ░░░░░░░░ that I played in ░░░░░░░░ such pain and I ░░░░░░░░ committed to fighting for ░░░░░░░░ equality.”