There's a word for what Tulsi Gabbard has done with homophobia: weaponized it.
She's not a simple "homophobe" or a simple "ally." She's someone who has used LGBTQ+ people as a political tool — discarding us when it was convenient and embracing us when it served her purposes.
This is the story of how homophobia was weaponized by a political career that spans three decades.
The Family Business (1990s-2000s)
Tulsi Gabbard's story starts with her father, Mike Gabbard, a prominent anti-gay activist in Hawaii. He ran The Alliance for Traditional Marriage, a PAC that:
- Spent over $100,000 to pass a 1998 constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage in Hawaii
- Called homosexuality "unhealthy, abnormal behavior that should not be promoted or accepted in society"
- Promoted conversion therapy — the discredited and harmful practice of trying to "cure" homosexuality
Tulsi Gabbard, at age 17, worked with her father on this campaign. In 2002, while running for the Hawaii state legislature at age 21, she touted this work as evidence of her leadership:
"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."
Her Own Words: "Homosexual Extremists"
Gabbard didn't just follow her father. She was an active and vocal opponent of LGBTQ+ rights:
- 2000: She attacked gay rights activists opposing her mother's school board campaign, saying they wanted to "force their values down the throats of the children in our schools"
- 2004: She testified against a civil unions bill, calling it "dishonest, cowardly and extremely disrespectful" and saying Democrats should represent the views of the people, "not a small number of homosexual extremists"
She was mimicking the rhetoric of homophobic political movements.
The same weaponization of fear I wrote about in my previous post on the history of homophobia.
The "Guru" Connection — Chris Butler
Gabbard's family joined the Science of Identity Foundation, a fringe offshoot of the Hare Krishna movement, when she was a child. She has called its leader, Chris Butler, her "guru".
In the late 1990s, Butler gave a 30-minute sermon in which he:
- Called homosexuality "sinful, ugly, unhealthy and unnatural"
- Used homophobic slurs like "f----ts" and "dy--s"
- Compared being gay to having "sex with a fire hydrant"
- Argued that gay people were "perverts" who should be denied jobs and admonished
In 2017, Gabbard told The New Yorker she had "never heard him say anything hateful, or say anything mean about anybody." But former SIF members said listening to Butler's lectures was a crucial activity for followers, and the Gabbard family was "highly involved" throughout the late 1990s.
The "Conversion" — And Its Limits
In 2012, while running for Congress, Gabbard apologized:
"I want to apologize for statements that I have made in the past that have been very divisive and even disrespectful to those within the LGBT community."
In 2019, during her presidential campaign, she released a video apology:
"In my past, I said and believed things that were wrong, and worse, they were very hurtful to people in the LGBTQ+ community and their loved ones."
She attributed her change of views to her military service and seeing "the destructive effect of having governments who act as moral arbiters for their people."
The Congressional Record — 100% HRC Rating
During her six years in the House, Gabbard:
- Supported the Equality Act (anti-discrimination protections)
- Opposed the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)
- Was a member of the House LGBT Equality Caucus
- Received a 100% rating from the Human Rights Campaign
On this record alone, she looked like an ally.
The Backslide — After Leaving the Democratic Party
After leaving the Democratic Party in 2022, Gabbard's rhetoric shifted again:
- She supported Florida's "Don't Say Gay" law, saying it didn't go far enough in stopping "indoctrinating woke sexual values in our schools"
- She co-sponsored the "Protect Women's Sports Act" to ban transgender girls from school sports
- She spoke at CPAC alongside anti-LGBTQ+ figures
- She made a baseless claim that "the LGBTQ+ community was trying to gain acceptance for pedophiles"
- She called gender-affirming care "child mutilation" and spoke at a rally with that theme
The pattern is clear.
She used anti-LGBTQ+ activism to build her early career.
She used her apology to win national office.
She used anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric again to pivot to the MAGA movement.
Homophobia was the tool. LGBTQ+ people were the targets.
The Pattern
| Phase | Actions |
|---|---|
| 1990s-2000s | Active anti-LGBTQ+ activism, working with her father's PAC, using homophobic rhetoric |
| 2012-2020 | Apology, pro-LGBTQ+ votes, 100% HRC rating, House Equality Caucus |
| 2022-Present | Anti-trans bills, support for "Don't Say Gay," CPAC speaking, alliance with MAGA movement |
What This Tells Us
The Gabbard story mirrors what I wrote about in "The Weaponization of Homophobia":
- It was used to build a career — Her anti-gay activism in the 1990s was a political asset in conservative Hawaii
- It was used to pivot — Her apology and pro-LGBTQ+ record helped her win national office
- It was used again — Her re-adoption of anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric helped her pivot to the MAGA movement
She's not a simple "homophobe" or "ally." She's someone who has used homophobia as a political tool — and abandoned it when convenient — her entire career.
What This Means For Us
This story matters because:
- It shows how homophobia is weaponized — not just felt
- It shows how political careers are built on cycles of prejudice and apology
- It shows that sincerity is hard to measure when the pattern is so clear
- It shows why building our own platforms (like MegaFish) is essential
🐟 When people like Gabbard can use LGBTQ+ rights as a political football, we need spaces that aren't controlled by their calculations.
That's what MegaFish is. A platform for real connection, not political convenience.
"Slow and steady wins the race. Move an inch every day."
— Jimmy Presnell