Wait… JD Vance Thought He Was Gay?
In a story titled How JD Vance Went From Thinking He Was Gay And Changing His Name Twice To Being An Anti-LGBTQ+ Extremist, Christopher Wiggins, writing for The Advocate, reveals the complicated past of the newly elected US Vice President. JD Vance’s journey from a small Appalachian town to the second-highest office in the country is filled with contradictions that have left many questioning how his personal history aligns with his political actions.
JD Vance’s memoir, Hillbilly Elegy, provides a candid glimpse into a pivotal moment from his childhood. Growing up in a conservative, rural community, he recalls being deeply affected by a preacher’s fiery condemnation of homosexuality. As a young boy who didn’t feel an attraction to girls and treasured his bond with a male friend, he began to fear he might be gay and, as a result, destined for hell.
His grandmother, affectionately known as “Mamaw,” became his confidante during this time. When Vance shared his fears with her, she quickly dismissed them, offering both comfort and assurance of unconditional love. This moment could have served as the foundation for a lifetime of empathy and understanding. Yet, as Vice President, Vance’s political record on LGBTQIA+ issues tells a starkly different story.
Vance’s rise to the vice presidency has been marked by reinvention. Born James Donald Bowman, he changed his surname twice—first to Hamel, adopting his stepfather’s name, and later to Vance, honouring his grandmother. This willingness to reshape his own identity has made his opposition to others affirming theirs particularly contentious.
As a senator and now as the incoming Vice President, Vance has built a reputation as a staunch opponent of LGBTQIA+ rights. He introduced legislation aimed at restricting gender-affirming care for minors, arguing that these interventions are harmful. Another of his initiatives, the Passport Sanity Act, seeks to ban the use of the “X” gender marker on US passports. On his congressional website, Vance stated, “There are only two genders – passports issued by the United States government should recognise that simple fact.”
These stances have drawn criticism from advocates who view his actions as hypocritical, given his own history of personal transformation and self-reinvention.
The Drag Photo That Broke the Internet
Recently, a 2012 photo surfaced showing someone believed to be Vance dressed in drag at Yale. The image, shared by influencer Matt Bernstein, went viral, igniting debates about Vance’s apparent hypocrisy. Critics noted his opposition to drag culture and gender identity rights despite his own participation in drag during his law school years.
new: i have obtained a photo of jd vance in drag while at yale law school pic.twitter.com/jYf14Lwa4D
— matt (@mattxiv) August 11, 2024
Social media erupted over the controversy. Singer Demi Lovato and activist Pattie Gonia mocked the irony, while others pointed out the larger issue of his double standards. As GLAAD president Sarah Kate Ellis put it, “Vance’s anti-LGBTQIA+ rhetoric stands in stark contrast to the person who once embraced queer classmates and donned drag.”
Social media erupted with commentary. One user wrote, “It’s not about JD Vance in drag; it’s the hypocrisy.” Another added, “If he was more open to learning from our community, we could have helped with that wig.”
a second photo has hit my inbox https://t.co/JRKIE9JHRD pic.twitter.com/4wIWF28mEU
— matt (@mattxiv) August 12, 2024
Vance has repeatedly reinvented himself, from changing his name twice to shifting his political alliances. Yet, he has introduced legislation to criminalise gender-affirming care for minors and ban “X” gender markers on passports. Critics argue these actions contradict his history of personal transformation.
The drag photo controversy has amplified calls for accountability, with many questioning how someone who has benefited from self-reinvention can deny those same freedoms to others.
