Politician refuses to resign after calling for gay marriage to be reversed
A politician in Phoenix City has declined to step down after calling for same-sex marriage and trans rights bills to be reversed.
Phoenix City Councilman Michael Nowakowski is seen making the anti-LGBT remarks – they surfaced earlier this week.
“I never thought I would see the day that men and men would be married. Or that people are allowed to go into the same bathroom as my daughter,” he says in the video, referring to an ordinance allowing trans people to use gender-appropriate bathrooms.
“This world is changing, and it’s time for us to take the leadership and change it back to the way it should be,” he continues.
Despite having since apologised, Nowakowski says he will not resign.
“I apologise that my comments, regardless of the context, offended anyone,” he said on Wednesday night.
“My reference in the video to ‘returning to the way it should be’ was in regards to prayer at City Council meetings, not to roll back LGBTQ rights. I understand why my statement in the video was misconstrued, and I apologise.”
But some have questioned what he has done and said behind the scenes.
Brendan Mahoney, chair of the Phoenix Human Relations Commission said: “We now know that behind the scenes he’s been doing other things… There’s really no way of knowing what he has failed to support or killed behind people’s backs.”
The Councilman has in the past publicly supported same-sex marriage, and said he will continue to fight for the rights of all.
Since the incident, Phoenix City leaders have distanced themselves from Nowakowski, saying his views do not represent the city.
Watch the video of Nowakowski’s comments below:
