WATCH: San Antonio Councilwoman Defends Antigay Remarks

A City Council member in San Antonio this week stood by her antigay remarks, revealed on a secretly recorded audio tape that documented her calling LGBT people "disgusting" as the council discussed a pending nondiscrimination ordinance in May.

Elisa Chan, representing San Antonio's ninth district, held a press conference Tuesday, blasting the former staffer who recorded the exchange and defending her views as protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

"I know many people find the comments made in the meeting offensive, but again, it was a confidential meeting set in the privacy of my office, where none of us are suppose to worry about what we say," Chan said at the press conference. "I stand strong in my First Amendment right to freedom of speech and our right to privacy. And as an immigrant, I consider this the greatest privilege of being a U.S. citizen. ... My belief, my views are mine. I do not impose that on anybody else. I'm not asking anybody to agree with me."

The LGBT advocacy group GetEqual Texas issued a warning for travelers that contends San Antonio, which bills itself as a prime travel destination, is not welcoming to LGBT visitors. Read GetEqual's alert at OutTraveler.

Watch Chan's press conference below, via San Antonio's KENS 5.