After what some at the Capitol were calling a case of political foot-in-mouth disease, Rep. Larry Liston apologized Thursday for comments a day earlier in which he called unwed teenage parents “sluts.”
“The derogatory term I used was offensive and inappropriate, and I would like to apologize for using it,” the Colorado Springs Republican said in the statement. “Because of my unfortunate choice of language, the message that I was trying to get across about personal responsibility and parental responsibility has been overshadowed.
“I certainly regret using the term I did.”
Rep. Debbie Stafford, D-Aurora, said she was so livid over the comments that she clipped newspaper articles reporting Liston’s remarks and posted them in a women’s bathroom at the Capitol.
“To judge a young person trying to sort through their pain is one of the most appalling things I can think of,” Stafford said. “As adults, we have an obligation to reach out and mentor and help young people who might be confused.”
Liston’s comments came during a presentation before House Republicans from the Colorado Health Foundation, which reviewed a 2007 health report card for the state. Part of the discussion included teen pregnancy rates.
According to The Gazette of Colorado Springs, Liston said: “In my parents’ day and age, (unmarried teen parents) were sent away, they were shunned, they were called what they are. There was at least a sense of shame. There’s no sense of shame today. Society condones it. … I think it’s wrong. They’re sluts. And I don’t mean just the women. I mean the men too.”
By Thursday afternoon, his remarks had spread across the Internet, even making The Drudge Report. Liston’s words also ended up on a number of feminist blogs, where commentators said they were calling and e-mailing his office to register their displeasure.
In a statement released Thursday afternoon, women in the House Republican Caucus said: “His unfortunate use of language distracted from an important caucus discussion of meaningful health-care reform.”
The lawmaker said he only meant to suggest that unwed mothers and fathers should take more personal responsibility and that the number of out-of-wedlock births has risen significantly in the past several decades.
“I certainly could’ve used different words,” he said.
Tim Hoover: 303-954-1626 or thoover@denverpost.com
