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If the mere thought of 50,000 Putinist Russophiles, hysterical homophobes, armed ammosexuals, misogynists, antisemites, white supremacists, Great Replacement theorists, racists, reproductive rights deniers and Evangelical and Catholic Dominionists descending upon our fair city has you upchucking your cheese curds, you are certainly not alone. Still, one embarrassing slice of our LGBTQ community is no doubt starry eyed and giddily anticipating Milwaukee’s upcoming Republican National Convention (RNC), namely remnants of the gay Log Cabin Republicans of Wisconsin (LCR) that was officially dissolved in March 2022 (apparently the members didn’t want to pay the requested dues) and those LGBTQs of similarly irrational ilk.
But why, one might ask, would a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (especially) or otherwise queer person align themselves with a party that is so rabidly against them? Over the years, as much as gay Republicans have groveled for a place in the big tent, they have been routinely rejected. Back in 1996, during the Republican presidential primary season, some GOP gays supported Christian zealot Pat Buchanan who scathingly snubbed them outright. Locally, then WLCR president James McFarland penned a Wisconsin Light opinion piece endorsing candidate Bob Dole whose campaign had returned LCR donations (Dole later accepted the funds; money is money, after all). Then, at least, gay Republicans had some hope of changing the GOP’s homophobia and being accepted as conservative LGBTQs. Over the past decades, however, that change of heart has not happened. In fact, the heart has hardened. It is worth mention that there have been Republican gays in high political places over the years. Unfortunately, save for the rare outed politician (think Wisconsin’s Steve Gunderson) or out billionaire gay, their record is an embarrassing one.
Dennis Hastert, Speaker of the House under President George W. Bush, turned out to be a serial child abuser. The born-again Christian and 1976 Coach of the Year was found guilty of assaulting at least four of his male students. In 2006, Congressman Mark Foley, chair of the House Caucus on Missing and Exploited Children, apparently did some exploiting of his own that involved teen male Congressional pages. When the scandal broke, he was encouraged to resign by none other than then-Speaker Hastert. Foley left Congress promising to go into rehab. Apparently, that included promenades along very gay West Hollywood’s Santa Monica Boulevard where I bumped into him in a popular frozen yogurt joint shortly thereafter.
Meanwhile, just a year ago, Tennessee’s anti-trans, anti-marriage equality, anti-drag Lt. Governor Randy McNally, 79, was caught posting gushing digital billets-doux replete with heart and fire emojis to “Finn,” a 20-year-old gay boy and self-proclaimed “ho.” Randy, indeed! Of course, the most recent gay Republican calamity personified is expelled, 23 times indicted congressman, drag queen and pathological liar George “Kitara Ravanche” Santos. For all his failings, he did win over some Republicans who were doubtlessly awestruck by his mastery of brazenly psychotic perfidy.
Mindboggling Support
Meanwhile, the national LCR has carried on, arguing their existence is based on conservative values and the intent to change the GOP to a more LGBTQ friendly party from within. It did not officially endorse Donald Trump in 2016. However, some local chapters did. Despite the Trump administration’s four years of anti-LGBTQ policies, a mind-boggling Wisconsin LCR poll showed 82% supporting his endorsement in 2020.
A peek into local LCR members’ social media pages offer some answers to the gay Republican conundrum. Mind you, the official page is essentially moribund since its moderator declared the organization dissolved back in 2022. Among members’ posts dating back to the 2023 Wisconsin Supreme Court election, a former LCR president reflects on the character of the Republican candidate, Daniel Kelly. Based on Kelly’s “ardent” anti-LGBTQ agenda, he announced he would write in a vote for Kelly’s primary rival. An extended and quirky Republican debate ensued with one participant (who is also gay) accusing the statement’s author of prioritizing his “fleshy desires” over conservative values that are “under the Lord” and eventually calls him a Satan worshipper.
Speaking of hypocrisy, going back to the Republican presidential candidates’ debate held here in Milwaukee in 2023, an individual posted on social media, “Any one of them would be better than that corpse Biden.” As one is wont to do, I looked at the person’s profile. There I found charming photos of his wedding in which he and his happily beaming groom appeared dressed in matching powder blue tuxedos with floral boutonnieres (lilies of valley, as I recall). I had to wonder why such ugliness should be spouted by someone whose pursuit of happiness had been championed by then Vice President Joe Biden, even before President Barack Obama announced his support of marriage equality. Besides, any one of the seven on the debate dais would annul his marriage in a heartbeat. In fact, after the U.S. Supreme Court reversed Roe vs Wade, Justice Clarence Thomas alluded to the likelihood that marriage equality would be next.
In the past, such LCR support of anti-LGBTQ Republican candidates would have been attributed to benign ignorance or wishful thinking. Today, however, the GOP mission to erase LGBTQ rights and, in fact, identity, is blatantly clear. Why any gay Republicans remain can only be attributed to their embrace of the very tenets of hate, racism, transphobia and a resentment of having to share rights with people they consider inferior (they have a fear of Critical Race Theory, of course). There is no doubt a touch of Stockholm syndrome, as well.
But, as they say, be careful what you wish for.
