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Cheney to LGBTQ+ community: "I was wrong." Republican congresswoman voices support for marriage equality, not Equality Act

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Photo courtesy of CBS
Photo courtesy of CBS

Republican Congresswoman Liz Cheney now says she was wrong to oppose marriage equality. Her Lesbian sister, Mary, commented "I told you so."

Cheney — currently in the fight of her political life for opposing Donald Trump — made the remarks in a 60 Minutes interview on September 26.

Recalling an interview in 2013 in which she said she "believes in the traditional definition of marriage," Cheney concluded "I was wrong."

"I love my sister very much," she added. "I love her family very much, and I was wrong. It's a very personal issue and very personal for my family. I believe that my dad was right, and my sister and I have had that conversation."

Their father, former Vice President Dick Cheney, was one of the few Republicans to support marriage equality at a time when the GOP was using it as a wedge issue to garner votes in conservative areas of the country — a tactic it still uses.

Mary Cheney, now married to her partner Heather Poe, expressed support for Liz's new — if belated — position.

"I love my sister very much and am so proud of her," Mary said.

"It took a ton of courage to admit that she was wrong back in 2013 when she opposed marriage equality. That is something few politicians would ever do. I have nothing but respect and admiration for the strength of character she continues to show on a daily basis.

"We could certainly use a lot more leaders like Liz Cheney right now. And as her sister — I have one more thing that I just have to say: I told you so."

Liz Cheney's enlightenment on marriage equality apparently does not extend to other crucial areas of LGBTQ life. In February, she joined other Republican Congress members to vote against the Equality Act.

That measure, which the House passed on a party-line vote, would amend US civil rights laws to protect LGBTQ Americans in the areas of employment, housing, credit, and other circumstances.

Rep. Cheney made herself persona non grata in her party when she voted to impeach then-president Trump, and publicly dismissed his claims of fraud in the 2020 election. She was subsequently removed from her Republican Party leadership position in the House and faces a Trump-backed primary opponent next year.