Heath Barnes: As a Gay Republican Man the LGBT Community No Longer Represents Me

by EMMA JIMENEZ

Many Gay Americans are faced with rejection, abuse, and are often times disowned by their family members when they choose to come out “of the closet,” so to speak. Often times due to their sexual preferences they will find themselves being excluded from social gatherings. In the political spectrum coming out as a gay Republican can be just as equally as frightening and lonesome.

Heath Barnes, a gay Trump supporter claims that coming out as a Republican man was more difficult for him than coming out as gay man. Barnes claims that coming out as a Gay Republican Trump supporter has subjected him to being ostracized by members from his own community.

In 2019, Miss Gay America, a national pageant for female impersonators, removed Barnes from their organization due to his political stance and his outspoken support for president Trump. Barnes was not an impersonator but he owned several pre-preliminaries where he sponsored contestants to compete in nationals. He won pre-preliminary of the year in 2019 largely due to his contributions to the organization throughout the period of 4 years. Four months later Barnes was asked to resigned due to his outspoken support for president Trump via social media.

Barnes political beliefs have made him a prime subject of personal attacks from the side he claims is supposed to be advocating for inclusiveness and equality; yet deliver the complete opposite.

“The champions of tolerance have now become the intolerant,” exclaimed Barnes.

On social media alone he has been subjected to repeated online lynching, from members within his own LGBT community.

“I have been told I should kill myself and to jump off a bridge. I’ve been told I should lay on a train track and wait until I’m taken out by the train. The daily messages I receive from members of my own community are sickening,” exclaimed Barnes.

Barnes blames the mainstream news media for the hate filled rhetoric he’s been subjected to.

“The mainstream news media has deliberately provided misinformation about president Trump and has depicted him as someone that hates homosexuals. This isn’t true at all. What you’ll never hear from the mainstream news media is that he’s the first president to enter the White House already supporting gay marriage unlike Joe Biden and Barrack Obama who campaigned against it,” stated Barnes.

Barnes goes on to mention how President Trump is the most inclusive president that the Republican Party has ever had.  Earlier this year President Trump named Richard Grenell, the U.S. ambassador to Germany, acting director of national intelligence which Barnes states, this should not have only been a historical moment for the LGBT community but it should’ve been celebrated. As of June of this year Grenell has resigned. Barnes also goes on to mention how President Trump is the first Republican to start an LGBT Coalition-and yet is still dumbfounded on how he can be considered “homophobic.”

“The left hates president Trump because he is giving the power back to the people. The problem with the left is that they will force you to believe (with the help of liberal media bias) that you are no more than your sexuality, your gender, your race, etc. They want you to live in a constant state of fear that someone is constantly coming for your rights. Especially if you’re within a minority group. That’s part of the Democrat propaganda:  Republicans are going to take away your rights and we’re the ones trying to protect you from them,” stated Barnes.

Barnes hopes that by sharing his story it will inspire others in the gay community to be more outspoken about their support for president Trump.

//pf