Former Pennsylvania Senator and Republican Rick Santorum is known for his strong remarks regarding his beliefs on issues such as gay marriage and now he has spoken about his opinions on Bruce Jenner.

CBS News reported that while attending the Republican Convention in South Carolina, Santorum responded to reporters regarding Jenner’s announcement that he felt he was a woman.

Santorum said, “If he says he is a woman, then he’s a woman. My responsibility as a human being is to love and accept everybody. Not to criticize people for who they are.”

This is a surprising statement considering Santorum’s strong opposition toward same-sex marriage. E! News reported that he had made statements in the past that he would not be in attendance of a same-sex wedding since it was in violation of his religious beliefs.

However, he said that in regards to Jenner’s case, people should respond in a way that is “compassionate and respectful.”

He did say that he is critical for the things people do, but as for “who they are, you have to respect everybody.” He also said the issue of transgender individuals using bathrooms should be up to businesses and not the federal government.

Image via Larry Marano/INFevents.com