In the face of an onslaught of death threats and homophobic abuse, Whanganui mayoral candidate Jevan Goulter has made a self-professed "u-turn".
Goulter tells GayNZ.com's Daily News, "People may not take me very seriously, however my realisation of how gay people do suffer is starting to come through."
"I have always been able to mix with gangs, rough people, undesirable people through to the complete opposite of the spectrum, I have never experienced homophobia and have found it a complete joke in New Zealand, based on my judgement that I am fine and people overreact," he says.
"That has changed now, I now realise and see as I experience for myself that there are still many, many, many people in this country that hate people like myself for my sexuality."
In the past few days Goulter says he has received mail, email and Facebook death threats and hateful abuse along the lines of, "Your as good as dead little man, run while you still can".
The 21-year-old says he woke this morning to find the garage of his house had been defaced with the poorly-spelt threat "your dead homo", scrawled in spraypaint.
Goulter has complained to the police and says he has now realised how backwards parts of the country still are.
"I have faith that the police will act and live up to their duty, as it is unacceptable in this country when anybody is threatened or made to feel unsafe."
The beyond-controversial gay candidate has in the past come under fire from the gay community for his lack of empathy for gay rights, particularly his lack of support for gay marriage.
"I have really opened my eyes and realised why the gay community has hated me so much in the past with the things I have had to say," Goulter says.
"I guess now I experienced it for myself I realise that I could have been more empathetic towards people."
