U.S. Politicians and Their Queer Family Members
Regardless of political affiliation, the chance that a politician has a family member who identifies with the LGBTQ+ community is high. It is well known that when it comes to legislation, representation matters. People who know somebody queer are more likely to accept them than those who don't. But for some, ideology is stronger than bonds that tie a family together. Check out these current and former politicians -- from the left and from the right -- and their queer relatives.
Christine O'Donnell and Jennie O'Donnell
In 2010, Christine O'Donnell captured the country's attention when the Republican Tea Party conservative ran to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by then-Vice President Joe Biden. She memorably proclaimed in a campaign commercial, "I'm not a witch. I'm nothing you've heard. I'm you." She was responding to an appearance on a 1999 episode of Bill Maher's then-ABC show, Politically Incorrect, during which she admitted to having "dabbled" in witchcraft. Jean O'Donnell is the non-witch's lesbian sister. Jean said campaigning for her sister was a "neat experience" and denied that Christine was homophobic. The candidate, however, had a history of making anti-LGGTQ+ comments. Democrat Chris Coons handily won that election.
Republicans Dick Cheney and Liz Cheney and Mary Cheney
When they were children, the Cheney daughters were known for their energetic personalities, which they used to distribute pamphlets during campaign stops. "We were as close as sisters can be," Mary writes in her 2006 memoir, Now It's My Turn.
But, as part of a failed Senate campaign in 2013, Liz Cheney broke with her family by opposing marriage equality. Mary Cheney married Heather Poe in 2012. The former vice president, though, supported Mary's relationship.
Nevertheless, the elder Cheney described the issue of same-sex marriage as a matter of states' rights. Recently, however, Rep. Cheney came out publicly to support marriage equality and admitted on the record that she had been wrong. During a 2021 60 Minutes interview, Cheney said she regretted her position on marriage equality, stating it was misguided.
"I was wrong. I was wrong," she said. "It's a very personal issue -- and very personal for my family. I believe that my dad was right. And my sister and I have had that conversation. Freedom means freedom for everybody."
Republican Glenn Thompson and Kale Thompson
U.S. Rep. Glenn Thompson scored high on this summer's hypocrisy index when the PennsylvaniaRepublicanvoted against a bill that sought to enshrine marriage equality protections into federal law days before dancing at his gay son's wedding.
An audio recording provided to Buzzfeed highlights the rank hypocrisy.
"So we're just really thankful that you're here," Thompson said during a speech he gave at the wedding. "It actually goes beyond that, as parents. We love it when they find their one true love, especially when they become a part of our families then. That's what we're rooting for. We've been fortunate with three sons, and [he's] done a great job of adding to the family. So this has been a really good experience, especially for Penny, to have a new son enter the family!"
Republican Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen
As a member of Congress, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen advocated acceptance for transgender people. The Florida Republican took her fight for her trans son, Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen, to the national level. Her courage in standing up for what was right earned her a 2018 honor by the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute as the first Cuban-American elected to Congress. Ros-Lehtinen was also the first Republican in the House to support marriage equality.
Her son is the executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality.
Jennifer Wexton
In 2021, after GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene made bigoted remarks about transgender people on the floor of the House of Representatives, Rep. Jennifer Wexton, a Democrat, forcefully responded.
"Yesterday, we heard vile attacks against the transgender community on the House floor, and, unfortunately, I anticipate there will be similarly bigoted statements made today as we prepare to vote on the historic Equality Act," she wrote. "I want the LGBTQ community, especially our transgender family, friends, and neighbors, to know that these attacks do not represent the United States Congress."
In 2019, the Virginia Democrat began displaying the transgender pride flag outside her congressional office to show support for her niece, who is transgender. Out of respect for her privacy, she's not pictured here.
Democrat Lucas Kunce and Warren Kunce
In Early August, Lucas Kunce lost his bid for the Missouri Democratic U.S. Senate nomination to Busch beer heiress Trudy Busch Valentine, who has had trouble addressing transgender rights issues.
In the final push to the August 2 election, Kunce's brother Warren, a transgender man, publicly campaigned for his older brother.
A supporter of providing gender-affirming care to young people as a matter of medical necessity, Lucas Kunce relied heavily on the experience of knowing and loving a transgender family member.
In a video, Warren spoke of a brother who was supportive of his "then younger sister" with fondness.
Democrat Manny Diaz and Jorge Diaz-Johnston
In January, the body of LGBTQ+ activist Jorge Diaz-Johnston was discovered in a Miami landfill. He was the gay brother of former Miami mayor and Florida Democratic Party chairman Manny Diaz. Diaz-Johnston was involved in the case that recognized marriage equality in Miami-Dade County in 2015.
Diaz-Johnston was last seen alive January 3 near the law firm where he worked. Police believe he was strangled to death sometime between January 3 to January 5. His body was found January 8 at a regional landfill in Jackson County.
Diaz released a statement acknowledging the efforts made by police and city officials to locate his brother and investigate his disappearance.
"I am profoundly appreciative of the outpouring of support shown to me, my brother-in-law Don, and my family after the loss of my brother, Jorge Diaz-Johnston. My brother was such a special gift to this world whose heart and legacy will continue to live on for generations to come," the statement said.
A grand jury indicted Steven Yinger, 36, a former roommate of Diaz-Johnston, for the murder in April. Yinger, who had been released from prison in October and has a lengthy record of convictions for burglary and drug charges, was arrested January 12 on trespassing and other charges and has been held without bail.
Democrat Marie Newman and Evie Newman
As Donald Trump won the 2016 election, Rep. Marie Newman was sick to her stomach watching the results on three different computer screens and her television, Teen Vogue reports.
The now-Illinois congresswoman was worried for her daughter, Evie, who had come out as transgender and begun her transition just two years earlier.
"All I could think about is this individual that I believe to be literally a piece of garbage in every way was going to roll back all of Evie's rights," Newman told the magazine. "All of our economic rights, all of our health care rights."
The following day she decided she would run for Congress to stand in the way of politicians who would pose a risk to her daughter's freedoms.
In 2021, Newman displayed a transgender pride flag outside her Capitol office as a dig at Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a noted transphobe. Putting up a sign of her own, Greene said: "There are TWO genders: Male and Female. Trust the Science!"
Newman, a Democrat, choked on tears as she spoke on the House floor in February 2021, saying the Equality Act would offer protections for transgender people, including her Evie.
"My own daughter, who years ago bravely came out to her parents as transgender. I knew from that day on my daughter would be living in a nation where, in most of its states, she would be discriminated against merely because of who she is," Newman said. "And yet it was the happiest day of my life and my daughter has found her authentic self."
Republican Matt Salmon and Dr. Matthew Salmon
Then-Arizona U.S. Rep. Matt Salmon told Phoenix TV station KTVK in 2013 that his gay son was "by far, one of the most important people in my life. I love him more than I can say." The Republican was staunchly against marriage equality despite his son's being gay,Politico reports.
Salmon did urge his son, also named Matthew, to attend harmful conversion therapy to pray the gay away.
After being urged to undergo conversion therapy by his family at 18, the younger Salmon eventually came out of the closet. As he was finishing up his psychiatry residency in 2015, he was a vocal advocate for gay rights.
At 34, Dr. Matthew Salmon is a staff adolescent psychiatrist at Washington, D.C.'s Whitman-Walker Health.
Republican Newt Gingrich and Candace Gingrich
hThe former Republican speaker of the U.S. ouse, Newt Gingrich, has been an enemy of the LGBTQ+ community from the get-go. But in 2013, it appeared that Gingrich had softened his stance on marriage equality when Sen. Rob Portman, a fellow Republican, endorsed same-sex marriage.
Gingrich's genderqueer half-sibling, Candace, has no love lost for their brother. They toldThe Advocate's sister publication Out in 2016, "[H]e still doesn't think I should be able to use the bathroom I'm most comfortable using. He still thinks same-sex marriage should not be a thing. He's still not a member of PFLAG, to my knowledge."
Democrat Pramilla Jayapal and Janak Jayapal
U.S. Rep. Pramilla Jayapal of Washington State is a steadfast LGBTQ+ ally.
In 2019 in Washington, D.C., the Democratic congresswoman gave a heartfelt speech about her gender-nonconforming child, who has since come out as trans.
In an interview with The Advocate, Jayapal discussed the importance of Democrats standing with the LGBTQ+ community, particularly transgender young people. "When you look at the hundreds of bills that have been introduced in state legislatures targeting trans folks, when you look at the criminalization of parents of trans kids just to be able to provide support to our kids and provide gender-affirming care," she said, "this feels like a very important moment to stand up and say, 'No, we are not going to just stand by and allow these attacks to happen.'"
Recently, Jayapal co-authored and introduced the Transgender Bill of Rights.
Republcan Rob Portman and WIll Portman
One of the few Republicans willing to support LGBTQ+ rights in Congress, Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio, has cosponsored the Respect for Marriage Act, which would enshrine equal marriage rights into federal law.
The bill would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, which allowed the federal government to deny recognition to same-sex marriages. The Supreme Court struck down this law from the 1990s in 2013 in Windsor v. U.S., but it remains on the books though unenforceable. The bill would also maintain all the rights the court recognized in 2015 when it ruled in Obergefell v. Hodges that same-sex couples in the United States have the same right to marry as different-sex couples.
In 2013, Portman, whose son Will is gay, announced his support for marriage equality after Will came out.
Democrat Seth Moulton and Cyrus Moulton
MassachusettsDemocratic Rep. Seth Moulton is an ardent supporter of marriage equality. The six-term congressman issued a statement from the steps of the Supreme Court in 2015 when the court announced the Obergefell decision affirming marriage equality.
"It's an honor to be here in front of the Supreme Court on this incredibly historic day," he said. "This decision means a lot to me and my family as my brother is gay, it means a lot to our entire community, and it means a lot to everyone throughout the United States of America who has yearned for freedom and has been denied it until today."
Cyrus Moulton, the congressman's brother, is a news reporter at the Worcester Telegram & Gazette in Massachusetts.
