
The official X account of the Republican Party called Minnesota Gov. and former vice presidential candidate Tim Walz (D) a “queen” as an insult, just days after California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) posted a gay joke about a right-wing podcaster.
Calling people “gay” as an insult is back in vogue, at least in the political world.
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Over the weekend, Walz posted a message in support of the “No Kings” protests that took place in thousands of cities across the country, drawing millions of protestors who wanted their opposition to the current administration heard.
“No kings,” Walz wrote.
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The Republican Party’s account responded with a picture of Walz waving to a crowd and the words: “No Queens.”

Conservatives have been calling Walz gay for years, despite how he is married to a woman and has never identified as part of the LGBTQ+ community. The fact that he is an outspoken ally of LGBTQ+ people – he even made Minnesota a trans sanctuary state – is likely one of the reasons people like Tucker Carlson and Jesse Watters call him gay.
The joke comes just days after California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) – who also made his state a trans sanctuary state – has been getting criticism online for making a gay joke about a right-wing podcaster.
YouTuber Benny Johnson accused Newsom of fraud on Fox News. Newsom shared a clip of the segment and wrote: “We got a call from Grindr after this and said your team was their biggest users. Congrats!”
Johnson is married to a woman and does not identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community, but several gay men have said that they have had experiences with Johnson.

As LGBTQ Nation’s sibling site Queerty points out, this isn’t the first time Newsom has made gay jokes online.
Other prominent Democrats have been using “gay” as an insult recently. Dr. Annie Andrews, who is running for the U.S. Senate from South Carolina, released an entire video that’s a gay joke about incumbent Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) last week. And late last year, liberal podcaster Jennifer Welch faced criticism for her gay jokes about J.D. Vance.
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