Javier Gonzales is the first openly gay mayor of Santa Fe, NM
His sexual preference has nothing to do with his ability to lead, Gonzales says.
Santa Fe Mayor Javier Gonzales says he has no regrets about appearing on Caitlyn Jenner’s reality TV show, despite drawing heavy criticism because of the host’s right-leaning position.
Gonzales, a Democrat and openly gay, appeared on an episode of “I am Cait” that aired on Sunday to talk about gender-neutral bathrooms in the New Mexican city — an issue that he has been advocating for since he took office two years ago.
However, the mayor has received a lot of flak for appearing on the show not because of Jenner herself, but because of her conservative stance, the New Mexican reported.
“If it was anyone but this Republican bigot, it would be a good thing,” Celina Rael Garcia wrote on the mayor’s Facebook page after he posted a picture with Jenner. “She does not represent the compassionate culture we tout in Santa Fe.”
Gonzales, who is backing Hillary Clinton for president, said Jenner’s political views made his stomach turn “quite a bit” when he heard Jenner challenge some of her cast mates on the show about Republican versus Democratic values.
Jenner, formerly known as Bruce Jenner – the 1976 Olympic gold medalist in the decathlon – is a Republican who said that Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump “would be very good for women’s issues” and that she would “never, ever, ever” vote for Clinton.
“If Hillary becomes president, the country is over,” she said in the episode.
“We’re talking about the economy,” she said. “We’re talking about our country surviving. We’re talking about an economic system that can prosper. Just because I’m a woman now doesn’t make me all of a sudden liberal.”
Gonzales told the New Mexican he was surprised to hear that some people in Santa Fe were disappointed at him for posing in a picture with Jenner or appear on the show. However, he says he does not regret it.
“It’s kind of sad that she’s so right-wing in her views,” he said. “Nevertheless, she’s using her celebrity status as a platform to bring awareness and acceptance to the trans community. You can’t discount that. Regardless of what you think her intentions are, I think that a lot of people are starting to change their view on the trans community because of the show.”
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