A Republican state senator from California with perfect record for voting against gay rights, acknowledged Monday that he was gay.
"I am gay," said state Sen. Roy Ashburn of Bakersfield, breaking his silence on a conservative AM talk-radio show. "Those are the words that have been so difficult for me for so long."
Ashburn
The admission follows days of intense scrutiny and ended mounting speculation that began last week when Ashburn was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving on March 3.
A Sacramento television station reported that Ashburn was at a popular gay dance club that night and several people have said they have seen the senator at gay bars in the city.
Ashburn's sexual orientation is at issue because he has one of the staunchest records of voting against bills that would expand rights for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Californians.
He defended his voting record, saying he cast votes that his constituents wanted.
"I felt my duty -- and I still feel this way -- is to represent my constituents, not my own point of view, not my own internal conflict," Ashburn told KERN Radio host Inga Barks.
Geoff Kors, Executive Director of Equality California, said Monday that he hopes the senator's revelation will lead him to change his voting patterns.
"Equality California looks forward to working with the Senator to use his experience to educate the people in his district on why he deserves the same rights and privileges as a gay man as any other Californian," Kors said in a statement.
Ashburn said he does not plan to run for any public office after his term ends this year.
Filed under: California
Because self-loathing is sexy, I guess.
That's so sad, and utterly devastating that even now, he feels as though this isn't right. It also shows how much he relies on his peers and the image he's made for himself. Like, "I'm gay, but I'm still against equality guys, don't worry." What a shame.
Roy Ashburn is a despicable human being. He made sure his gay constituents were kept as miserable as he is. He also ruined his marriage. No sympathy for yet another gay Republican who is such a self-hating man. His 'Christian faith' won't help him. It hasn't so far: he's a drunk and a liar. If that's Christian, so be it.
Not so fast, guys. I am all for gay rights and am disgusted by most of the opposition to it, but he's right about one thing: his conscience tells him to represent his constituents. I don't agree with him, but I respect it. He's absolutely right that the best way for him is to educate his constituents. As for the poster that pointed out that he has let down his gay constituents, I frankly don't think he has any if he is a staunch opponent of gay rights. We have to learn to respect the views of people we don't agree with if we have any hope of finding any common ground and resolving our differences. Calling someone a despicable human being or being contemptuous of him for being self-loathing instead of having compassion is not productive and in fact, part of the problem.
Carol, his constituents are everybody in his district. Some may not have voted for him but he is still the representative of all who reside in that district. I can't respect his views when I can't respect him as a man. His closet is his business but his scourging me with his self hatred is my business. The only sympathy I can muster is for his family who he has humiliated. To hell with him.