JD Vance oddly emphasizes that he’s not gay while criticizing gender transitioning, referring to it as a form of “conversion therapy.”

This blog is originally appeared at LGBTQ Nation.

He laughed along as the gay conservative he was speaking with mocked trans kids, describing “a 9-year-old girl” with “a beard.”

During an interview last weekend, Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) and conservative podcaster Tim Dillon echoed transphobic right-wing rhetoric, with Vance notably stressing to Dillon that he isn’t gay. Dillon claimed that supporters of transgender rights want nine-year-old girls “to have a beard,” while Vance argued that medical transitioning is a form of “conversion therapy” aimed at turning gay individuals transgender. Vance also alleged that the medical industry is profiting from transitioning minors and suggested that “they” are pushing gay kids to believe they’re actually transgender.

“I’m not a gay guy, but I’ve heard this from gay friends of mine…” Vance began, prompting Dillon to burst into laughter at Vance’s insistence on clarifying his sexuality.

“I’ve discussed this with gay friends who feel personally affronted [by gender-affirming care for youth],” Vance claimed. “They wonder if, at 14 and feeling confused, someone would have pushed them to transition. In some ways, it’s like a new version of conversion therapy through pharmaceuticals, as if to say, ‘Oh no, you’re not gay; you’re actually a different gender!’”

In the recent interview, Vance presented no evidence for his claim that cisgender gay youth are being pressured into transitioning. Earlier, Dillon sarcastically questioned why children can’t undergo “life-altering” surgeries, framing it as a sign of “fascism” for opposing it. He joked, “Why wouldn’t you allow an eight-year-old to fully transition?… Why can’t a nine-year-old girl have a beard?” In reality, gender-affirming surgeries are not performed on pre-pubescent children and are almost never performed on minors. Gender-affirming care for young children typically includes choices about clothing, names, and play preferences.

Vance continued, alleging that the medical industry profits from transitioning minors and manipulates government policy to push this, stating, “the very people who are getting rich off this are also lobbying the American Medical Association [AMA] and the U.S. government.” However, the AMA and other medical associations have recommended gender-affirming care as safe and essential for trans youth. According to the Williams Institute, only an estimated 300,000 trans individuals ages 13 to 17 could require such care—a small fraction of the U.S. population.

Dillon expressed skepticism over puberty blockers and hormone therapy for minors, saying many believe young children should be left alone, adding, “A lot of gay people feel that way…[but] none of them are ever listened to.” Vance mentioned a friendship strained by his stance on trans youth, citing a former classmate who had argued that puberty blockers are reversible—a point the Mayo Clinic supports, stating that puberty restarts once treatment stops.

The conversation then shifted, with Dillon criticizing “extreme” voices in public debate and calling for a focus on traditional subjects like math and science, echoing right-wing claims against teaching “critical race theory or gender theory.” This reflects the Republican platform, which opposes federal funding for schools promoting “radical” ideologies. Vance criticized anti-racist education as “bullshit” that divides people.

In a tangent about U.S. foreign policy, Dillon mocked the idea of promoting gender inclusivity abroad, saying, “we are there so that drag queens in Russia can have more of a say.” Vance replied that taxpayer funds are “funding programs to teach people that there are nonbinary genders out there.” This exchange, underscoring right-wing criticism of the military’s inclusivity efforts, continued their alignment with far-right narratives on gender and foreign policy.

The interview’s exchange on LGBTQ+ topics begins at the 29:40 mark.

October 31, 2024 0

JD Vance receives a zero rating in a new report on LGBTQ+ support in Congress

This blog is originally appeared at LGBTQ Nation.

The vice-presidential candidate received an even lower score than Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.

Republican vice-presidential candidate Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) received a zero rating on the Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) newly released Congressional Scorecard for the 118th Congress.

This biannual report evaluates each member of Congress on their record regarding LGBTQ+ rights, assigning scores out of 100. Vance’s zero score indicates he did not support HRC’s stance on any LGBTQ+-related legislation.

This comes as no surprise, as Vance recently attributed America’s educational challenges to transgender inclusion, alleging that teachers are too occupied with “radical ideas” about gender to focus on fundamental academics. He also opposed the federal Respect for Marriage Act and, last year, refused to confirm U.S. foreign ambassadors, claiming they lacked sufficient opposition to LGBTQ+ rights. Additionally, Vance introduced Senate legislation aimed at banning gender-affirming care for trans youth and limiting access for trans adults.

Sen. Vance’s close alignment with Donald Trump—who worked to dismantle LGBTQ+ rights during his first term—further underscores his adversarial stance toward LGBTQ+ people.

Other senators who scored zero on the HRC report include Mitt Romney (R-UT), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Josh Hawley (R-MO), and Marco Rubio (R-FL). In the House, members receiving zeros included Reps. Lauren Boebert (R-CO), Jim Jordan (R-OH), James Comer (R-KY), Greg Steube (R-FL), Dan Bishop (R-NC), and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), who is noted for his outspoken anti-LGBTQ+ positions.

Interestingly, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), despite her frequent opposition to LGBTQ+ rights, scored an 8 for supporting HRC’s position on four bills—having voted against larger spending bills containing anti-LGBTQ+ measures. However, the report did not analyze her reasons for these votes.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, 217 members of Congress scored 100, demonstrating a full commitment to advancing LGBTQ+ rights and countering anti-LGBTQ+ legislation. Among those with perfect scores were senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Bernie Sanders (D-VT), John Fetterman (D-PA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and Laphonza Butler (D-CA), the first Black lesbian to serve in the Senate. Independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) scored a 93, as she missed two votes and did not co-sponsor specific anti-discrimination bills.

In the House, representatives like Adam Schiff (D-CA), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), and Steny Hoyer (D-MD) achieved scores of 100. Every out LGBTQ+ House member also received a perfect score. Former Rep. George Santos (R-NY) was excluded from the scorecard due to his expulsion before completing his term.

Steny Hoyer, celebrating his perfect score, highlighted Congress’s duty to combat discrimination, especially against LGBTQ+ Americans facing hostility from MAGA Republicans. “I will continue to work with Democrats to advocate for LGBTQ+ Americans and their rights,” Hoyer stated.

HRC president Kelley Robinson underscored the increasing attacks on LGBTQ+ inclusion in Congress, condemning the addition of anti-LGBTQ+ measures to key legislation. She also noted the success of organizers in blocking over 100 anti-LGBTQ+ riders. “With a record-high 75 million Equality Voters nationwide, informed voting and representation matter now more than ever,” Robinson affirmed, emphasizing the LGBTQ+ community’s resilience and the Senate’s critical role in protecting rights against extreme measures from the House.

October 25, 2024 0

JD Vance’s foreword to the Project 2025 founder’s book describes Democrats as “wolves” that need to be eliminated

This blog originally appeared at LGBTQ NATION.

He also claims that “liberals” have contaminated America’s foundation.

Vice presidential candidate JD Vance addressed supporters at a rally held inside Middletown High School on Monday, July 22, 2024. The Ohio senator is running as the vice presidential candidate alongside former President Donald Trump.

Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) likened Democrats and left-leaning liberals to “wolves” that need to be eliminated and to gardeners who have poisoned American soil in his foreword to Dawn’s Early Light: Taking Back Washington to Save America, authored by Kevin Roberts. Roberts employs similarly violent and dehumanizing language throughout the book.

Roberts, president of the right-wing Heritage Foundation and the architect of Project 2025—a blueprint for dismantling federal agencies and reversing longstanding civil rights under a potential second term for Donald Trump—drives the book’s controversial message.

Vance opens his 1,091-word foreword to Roberts’ book by referencing Pulp Fiction, a 1994 Quentin Tarantino film known for portraying its three gay characters as violent kidnappers, rapists, and BDSM enthusiasts.

Near the end of his foreword, Vance writes, “We need an offensive conservatism, not merely one that tries to prevent the left from doing things we don’t like.” He then employs a garden metaphor to vilify liberals as gardeners who have poisoned American soil, echoing Trump’s claim that immigrants are “poisoning the blood of our country.”

Vance describes his analogy: “Imagine a well-maintained garden in a patch of sunlight. It has some imperfections, of course, and many weeds… In an effort to eliminate the bad, a well-meaning gardener treats the garden with a chemical solution. This kills many of the weeds, but it also kills many of the good things. Undeterred, the gardener keeps adding the solution. Eventually, the soil is inhospitable.”

In this analogy, Vance explains, “modern liberalism is the gardener, the garden is our country, and the voices discouraging the gardener were conservatives. We were right, of course: in an effort to correct problems—some real, some imagined—we made a lot of mistakes as a country in the 1960s and 1970s.”

While Vance does not specify these mistakes, it’s notable that the 1960s marked the height of the first U.S. Civil Rights Movement, leading to landmark legislation that outlawed segregation, discriminatory voting practices, and workplace, educational, housing, and public accommodation discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. The era also saw significant anti-war, pro-worker, women’s liberation, and LGBTQ+ rights movements, as well as the introduction of birth control pills, which gave women greater control over their reproductive rights.

Vance returns to his garden metaphor, stating, “To bring the garden back to health, it is not enough to undo the mistakes of the past… It needs to be recultivated. The old conservative movement argued if you just got government out of the way, natural forces would resolve problems—we are no longer in this situation and must take a different approach.”

He continues, “As Kevin Roberts writes, ‘It’s fine to take a laissez-faire approach when you are in the safety of the sunshine. But when the twilight descends and you hear the wolves, you’ve got to circle the wagons and load the muskets.’”

Vance emphasizes Roberts’ violent rhetoric with urgency, writing, “We are now all realizing that it’s time to circle the wagons and load the muskets. In the fights that lay ahead, [Roberts’] ideas are an essential weapon.”

While some might interpret Vance’s pioneer imagery—referring to covered wagons and old-timey firearms—merely as historical references, the metaphor of wolves as deadly predators poses a more primal threat. Vance is aware of the right-wing’s affinity for gun rights, and similar imagery has been used by other conservatives to “defend” traditional values.

Roberts himself has called for a “Second American Revolution,” a modern-day repeat of the historic conflict that resulted in significant American casualties. Though Roberts describes this revolution as “bloodless,” he adds it will only be so “if the Left allows it to be.”

Roberts’ suggestions have generated such controversy that Trump has denied any association with Project 2025, while the Heritage Foundation has claimed to have shut it down, despite ongoing recruitment for a second Trump administration. Roberts’ ideas have become so unpopular that he has postponed his book’s release until after the election.