Texas Councilwoman Under Fire After Secret Anti-Gay Recording is Leaked to Media

LGBT activists are calling for the resignation of a Texas city councilwoman after a secret recording capturing her making several anti-gay remarks was leaked to the media late Thursday night.

Gathering on the steps of City Hall on Friday afternoon, angered activists said comments made by council member Elisa Chan were hurtful and clamored for her immediate resignation, according to the Current.

"I was sad—after our talks, to know what was really in her heart...[And that sadness] turned to anger," Dan Graney, co-chair of the Community Alliance for a United San Antonio reportedly said. "Now, she really needs to step down from council."

Councilwoman Elisa Chan is under fire for controversial comments she made about homosexuality. (Photo credit: San Antonio Express-News)

On Thursday night, the San Antonio Express-News published on their website a secret recording of Chan revealing her views on homosexuality. The recording, which captures the council member calling gay individuals "disgusting," in a May 21 meeting, was provided to the local news outlet by one of her now former aides.

"She's let down so much of her constituency, we hope she'd resign," a reportedly emotional Lauryn Farris, president of San Antonio Gender Association and a board member of the Transgender Education Network of Texas-Alamo Region, said.

In the recording, the coucilwoman can be heard expressing her opposition to allowing gay and lesbian couples the ability to adopt children.

"Personally, I think it's just disgusting," Chan can be heard saying in the meeting reportedly aimed at strategizing how the councilwoman could oppose a new nondiscrimination ordinance without revealing her personal feelings. "They're going to be confused. You're going to see two men going into bedroom. You see two women kissing. Is that not confusing?"

In an interview with the San Antonio Express-News, Chan reportedly said she believes individuals choose to be gay and said the idea of pansexuality — the idea of having multiple sexual orientations — perplexed her.

"How can that be?" she reportedly said. "I will say, 'Strip down! What equipment do you have?'"

The San Antonio Express-News reported on Friday that the new nondiscrimination ordinance Chan opposed, which would include protection from discrimination based on sexual orientation, is "expected to pass" in the wake of her comments.

Chan has remained quiet about her controversial comments, but will reportedly be made available to the media soon.

At least two groups in the community, however, have vocally expressed their continued support for her.

"The Justice Foundation defends Councilperson Elisa Chan's statement which was attributed in the newspaper as being homophobic," a statement reportedly read. "These natural reactions and legitimate points of view which as an American citizen, and as a Texan, she has a right to express and act upon."

The local tea party group echoed this sentiment, reportedly saying "The River City Tea Party hereby expressed it support for our fellow conservative, District 9 Councilwoman Elisa Chan and her anti-homosexual stance."

Watch a local news clip, courtesy of WOAI NBC 4:

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