Barbara Bush Breaks With Father, Supporting Gay Marriage

RedTracker| Barbara Bush, daughter of George W. Bush, will publicly break ranks with her father today by endorsing same-sex marriage. As president, her father pushed for a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.

In 2009 New York defeated a bill to legalize gay marriage. The NYTimes reports that her video, which will air today, ends with “join us”, indicating that she intends to play an active role in a pro-movement to legalize same-sex marriage.

Her message is:

“I am Barbara Bush, and I am a New Yorker for marriage equality,” she says in the brief message, sponsored by an advocacy group. “New York is about fairness and equality. And everyone should have the right to marry the person that they love.”

Barbara Bush | HRC’s NYers for Marriage Equality

Barbara Bush is the third daughter of a prominent Republican to advocate for same-sex marriage. Meghan McCain, daughter of John McCain, and Mary Cheney, daughter of Dick Cheney and openly lesbian have also taken a strong stand in favor of gay marriage.

She joins others including NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Juliane Moore at New Yorkers for Marriage Equality.

Barbara Bush’s mother, former First Lady Laura Bush, also supports the initiative. Laura Bush said last may “When couples are committed to each other and love each other” they should have “the same sort of rights that everyone has.” Laura Bush is also pro choice.

Ms. McCain, a blogger and author, has said it is unhealthy for members of political families to paper over disagreements on issues of social justice merely to project an image of harmony. “Wives and children should be able to speak their piece,” she said in a television interview last year. “I think it shows healthy dynamics within a family. We shouldn’t all think one way, and think one thing.”