Roy Ashburn spoke to On Top Magazine and the gay magazine asked him about Ken Mehlman's recent coming out. Taking Ashburn's anti-gay history, subsequent coming out and reformed gay rights stance into consideration, his life in many ways mirrors Mehlman's so his response shouldn't come as much of a surprise.
Said Ashburn: "I'm pleased for him, because knowing what I've been through in trying to keep a secret for so many years and in trying to hide my secret, doing things that were hurtful to gay people, coming to the realization that you can actually admit who you truly are, and to stop the hiding and the actions around that which are hurtful … I mean that's a big breakthrough and I'm happy for him."
Ashburn, who is nearing the end of his state senate seat, says he won't abandon his party and actually thinks that they could actually be the political party for gay rights.
“I would argue that the Republican party, because of the principles underlying Republicanism, really is the party that should be championing equal rights for gay people, for all people. For me this is very clear.”
It's great that he can wish for that kind of progressive change but that's not hapening anytime soon.
