'Homophobia always will be' a key part of 'MAGA populism': journalist

29 May 2023

Some MAGA Republicans have claimed that liberals and progressives are intolerant of gay conservatives — arguing that gays are not obligated to ally themselves with the left.

But journalist Jay Michaelson, in an op-ed/essay published by Rolling Stone on May 29, stresses that openly gay Republicans like Rep. George Santos (R-New York) are in denial about homophobia in the MAGA movement. Anti-gay beliefs, according to Michaelson, are a key part of MAGA ideology.

Michaelson lays out three "important things queers and allies" need to understand about the MAGA right: (1) "Homophobia is part of MAGA-style populism, and always will be," (2) "They're mad as hell, and they don't want to take it anymore," and (3) "It's stochastic terrorism, plain and simple."

The journalist notes that anti-gay Republicans aren't necessarily "the Bible-thumping weirdos of Westboro Baptist Church."

Michaelson says of MAGA groups, "They're made up of right-wing extremists who, on the surface at least, aren't focused on LGBTQ issues at all, like the Proud Boys…. White Lives Matter, and Patriot Front…. As much as gay Republicans like George Santos and Milo Yiannapoulos want to deny it, hating gays is part of the MAGA package, the seething resentment that the still-dominant group of Americans have for everyone and everything that has eaten away at their hegemony."

Jay Michaelson's entire op-ed/essay at this link (subscription required).

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