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Candidate Releases Heartfelt Political Ad about his Experiences Growing up Gay

Candidate Releases Heartfelt Political Ad about his Experiences Growing up Gay

Candidate Releases Political Ad about Growing Up Gay

Rufus Gifford shares his experiences with homophobia growing up gay in the 80s.

Rufus Gifford is putting his experiences as a gay man at the forefront of his campaign for state office. He is one of ten Democrats seeking election to the U.S. House of Representatives to represent Massachusetts District 3, a predominantly democratic district.

A little over a week before the party primary on September 4, Gifford has released a heartfelt advertisement discussing the many struggles he's faced as a gay person, while still recognizing his privilege as a white man.

Speaking directly to the camera, Gifford says, "Anyone who can look in the face of a gay kid who grew up in the 80s and tell them that they haven't struggled a day in their life, is fooling themselves."

He continues, "Yeah, I struggled. A lot less than most people on this planet and even in this community, but those struggles are so meaningful to me, and they made me who I am."

But it was this struggle - and the discrimination he received for his sexuality - that motivates his desire to work in public office today.

"As someone who has been called names, has been discriminated against, as someone who wasn't taken seriously for a lot of his life because of this, it made me initially want to fight for the 15-year old version of me."

"I didn't want to be judged for who I was, and I know I wanted to live in a world that was going to treat me equally. That's what I want to fight for, always, every day."

Watch the heartfelt ad below.

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