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8.19.2013

Secret recording catches politician's anti-gay rant

"Personally, I think it's just disgusting just to even think about."



Tell us how you really feel, Elisa. In San Antonio, a city councilwoman is under fire after a secret audio recording of her making hateful, homophobic comments with her staff was leaked to the press last week: Elisa Chan, San Antonio Politician, In Hot Water Over Alleged Anti-Gay Rant.

The recording, secretly captured behind closed doors in the City Hall office of Elisa Chan last May, reveals the councilwoman and some of her staff expressing intolerant, derogatory views about the LGBT community. Unbeknownst to the councilwoman, a former aide was secretly recording the meeting on his iPhone.

The staff was gathered in her office to discuss the city's proposal to update its nondiscrimination ordinance, adding protections for sexual orientation and gender identity. Chan used it as opportunity to make sure everyone in the room was aware how "disgusting" she finds homosexuality.

Here's the audio, released to the San Antonio Express-News:


More on Chan's comments:

"This is my philosophy, guys," she says. "Whatever you want to do in your bedroom is none of my business, but do not impose your view on other people, especially becoming policy ... because personally, I think it's just disgusting just to even think about. All the definitions. ...

"But I don't want to go against, necessarily ... I don't want to beat up anybody," she continues. "Maybe what we can do, can we maybe throw some questionable confusions like, OK, this 'transgender,' because the definition is so broad... Maybe I say I was not educated on what transgender is about."

Later, Chan slips back into candor.

"By the way, this is politically incorrect," she tells her aides. "I don't think homosexual people should do adoption. They should be banned by adoption. You're going to confuse those kids. They should be banned.

"If you wanted to choose that lifestyle, we don't want to discriminate you, but you shouldn't affect the young people," she continues. "How terrible. ... They're going to be confused. You see two men go into a bedroom. You see two women kissing. Is that not confusing? It's confusing.

"It is actually, what you call, suggestive, for the kids to be corrupt, which is against nature. I'm telling you, anything that is against nature is not right."

I love how the councilwoman wants so badly to be perceived as being tolerant and respectful of people's "choices," contrary to the revulsion and intolerance she seethes behind closed doors. Busted, Elisa.

More here: Elisa Chan reveals homophobic views in secret recording.