The daughter of former Republican presidential candidate John McCain has joined the board of gay advocacy charity GLAAD.

Meghan McCain was named to the media charity’s board of directors today, appointed alongside two others.

Her father, Arizona Senator John McCain, ran for president in 2008 with Sarah Palin as his running mate, but eventually lost to Barack Obama.

Sentor McCain has a long history of opposing rights for same-sex couples, co-sponsoring the federal Defence of Marriage Act, which banned recognition of same-sex marriages until it was repealed last year, and fighting attempts to repeal of the military’s ‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell’ policy.

Last year, after a number of other Republican senators softened their positions, he said: “I respect anyone else’s decision and we all learn in life and grow and mature.

“I have changed my position on other issues in my life, but on this one, I had not contemplated changing my position.”

Despite her father’s views, Meghan McCain has advocated for same-sex marriage through her work as a TV pundit, though joking it was a “bitch” to be a pro-gay marriage Republican.

GLAAD President Sarah Kate Ellis said in a statement: “Equality is no longer a partisan issue.

“For years, Meghan McCain has lent her voice and platform to spreading messages of acceptance across party lines.

“Now, as the American south and our heartland move closer to LGBT equality, it’s critical that we continue to build the bridges that unite us in our common ground – whether you’re republican or democrat, gay or straight.”

In December, Senator McCain’s former running mate Sarah Palin admitted to defending a Duck Dynasty star’s anti-gay rant without even reading his comments.