Rachel Maddow has denied that she holds a leadership position on gay rights, saying that maybe a straight person would be the better candidate.

Maddow became the first openly lesbian woman to host a cable television show when MSNBC premiered The Rachel Maddow Show more than 3 years ago.

In an interview with Slate, Maddow says she isn't out to change the nation on gay rights.

“I don't think about it that much,” Maddow answered when asked how she decides on whether to discuss gay politics on her show. “I think the interaction of me being openly gay and me talking about gay politics; the thing that mostly happens is that I sort of get attacked for talking about it too much whenever I talk about it.”

“I feel like gay rights issues get essentially considered like all others,” she said.

Maddow added that maybe a straight person would be a more effective voice for gay rights.

“Maybe people don't want to hear about it from a gay person. Maybe the person who has the leadership position on this is the straight politician. I am not trying to change the country,” Maddow said.