Conservative politician Rick Santorum said Saturday that he believes that Bruce Jenner is a woman, CBS News is reporting .
Speaking to reporters at the South Carolina Republican Convention Saturday, the controversial former Republican senator from Pennsylvania confirmed that if Bruce Jenner identifies as a woman, then that’s good enough for Santorum.
“If he says he’s a woman, then he’s a woman. My responsibility as a human being is to love and accept everybody. Not to criticize people for who they are.”
The remarks are somewhat startling coming from the fiercely conservative Santroum, whose positions on gay marriage and LGBTQ rights are not exactly gay-friendly , according to E! Online . Most recently, he publicly stated that he wouldn’t attend a same-sex wedding because it would violate his religious faith.
But for whatever reason, when it comes to Bruce Jenner’s gender identity, Santorum says he is willing to accept it.
“I can criticize, and I do, for what people do, for their behavior. But as far as for who they are, you have to respect everybody, and these are obviously complex issues for businesses, for society. And I think we have to look at it in a way that is compassionate and respectful of everybody. So these are tough issues. I haven’t got into the whole issue, and I don’t think the federal government should get into the whole issue of bathrooms. I think those are things that the business community and local agencies and organizations should deal with.”
In fact, a trend appears to be emerging among some prominent conservatives to lighten up, however slightly, when it comes to LGBTQ issues. 2016 presidential candidate Ted Cruz , for example, recently confirmed via The New York Times that if his daughter were gay, he would love her just as much. Similarly, candidate Marco Rubio confirmed , via Politico , that he would attend a gay wedding, if given the opportunity.
“If there’s somebody that I love that’s in my life, I don’t necessarily have to agree with their decisions or the decisions they’ve made to continue to love them and participate in important events.”
Santorum’s remarks on Bruce Jenner notwithstanding, Jezebel writer Stassa Edwards isn’t convinced that conservatives are changing their tune on gay rights.
“But ultimately, the ‘softening’ is just a reworking of talking points, and not policy. It’s not exactly radical to acknowledge that you should ‘respect’ another human being, or that you would love your daughter. Rubio and Cruz still don’t support gay marriage, and Santorum is clear that he doesn’t support laws that would facilitate equal rights.”
Do you believe that Rick Santorum’s acknowledgment that Bruce Jenner is a woman is a sincere change of heart on LGBTQ rights? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
[Images courtesy of: Getty Images]
