JD Vance fantasizes that Donald Trump’s got the 'normal gay guy' vote

Former President Donald Trump’s running mate, Ohio U.S. Sen. JD Vance, claimed during a more than 3-hour-long appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience Thursday that he and Trump could secure what he termed the “normal gay guy vote.”

Vance’s comments, delivered alongside his critique of LGBTQ+ rights advocacy, sparked an immediate backlash from LGBTQ+ voices and allies online, with many dismissing Vance’s concept of a “normal” LGBTQ+ voter as out-of-touch and exclusionary. The claim came in a larger context of Vance’s and Rogan’s criticisms of LGBTQ+ identities and trans-inclusive healthcare.

In the exchange, Vance suggested that Trump’s appeal would resonate with LGBTQ+ people who, according to him, “just wanted to be left the hell alone.” He referenced an unnamed gay friend who reportedly took issue with terminology like “two-spirit” and found LGBTQ+ terminology around identity and inclusivity unnecessary. “I think that frankly, I wouldn’t be surprised if me and Trump won just the normal gay guy vote,” Vance remarked, though LGBTQ+ voices on social media quickly highlighted how far the statement missed the mark on what drives LGBTQ+ voters’ engagement today.

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The Human Rights Campaign made fun of Vance’s assertion by writing on X, formerly Twitter, “JD, No. Like not even close.”

For many in the LGBTQ+ community, Vance’s remarks embodied the oversimplifications and dismissive attitude toward diversity within the queer community. Brandon Wolf, HRC national press secretary, quipped, “This gay guy voted for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz today.”

Others added their voices, refuting Vance’s suggestion that support for Trump and Vance aligns with the community’s concerns. Sam Alleman, the national LGBTQ+ engagement director for the Harris-Walz campaign, pointed out, “Normal gay guy voter here, no, you won’t.”

Television writer Ben Siemon took a different angle, commenting, “I’m a weird gay guy that proudly voted for Kamala Harris.”

Matt McDermott added, “Not sure what a ‘normal’ gay guy is, but speaking as a fairly typical gay guy I can confirm that myself, my husband, and literally every gay guy I know will proudly be voting for Kamala Harris and rejecting your grotesque bigotry.”

Mike, a self-described “aging bisexual,” responded, “Normal gay guys have respect for themselves and wouldn’t vote for a party who calls us groomers and threatens to rescind same-sex marriage and IVF.” Meanwhile, podcast host Vic Vela captured a humorous side of the reaction, writing, “Me trying to figure out if I’m a normal or abnormal gay guy,” alongside a meme of a person trying to conceptualize complex math equations, making light of the categorization itself.

One commenter wryly remarked, “So, only the ‘normal gay guys’ that wear eyeliner?” referencing Vance’s alleged use of eye makeup, a look that has previously garnered social media commentary.

During the episode, Vance strangely suggested that among middle- and upper-middle-class white families, supporting a child’s transgender identity could be viewed as a “social signifier” that aligns with values of diversity, equity, and inclusion. He argued that “if you become trans, that is the way to reject your white privilege,” adding that identifying as transgender might be seen as one way to gain access to DEI benefits in higher education.

Rogan expanded on this view, questioning if identifying as non-binary might appeal to some people since it doesn’t necessarily require any medical or physical transition. “Nonbinary is the best one because you don’t even have to do anything,” he said, suggesting that individuals could join the LGBTQ+ community by adopting a nonbinary identity without undergoing significant changes. He speculated that some parents may even encourage their children to explore transgender identities, implying this would help them gain acceptance in what he described as “hyper-woke” circles.

Rogan also made some assertions, without evidence, about transgender children. “There has to be some reason why this enormous percentage of Hollywood kids are trans,” he speculated. Vance argued that the perceived trend of encouraging transgender identities is strongest in “upper-middle-class to lower-middle-class white progressives” and suggested that identifying as transgender might even become a “pathway” for children to gain entry into elite colleges. Vance raised the concern that parents in affluent communities may feel that the “only way” for their children to participate in DEI initiatives is by identifying as LGBTQ+. There is no evidence that transgender people have an advantage in college admissions or that people are identifying as trans to get into institutions of higher learning.

The rhetoric Vance used mirrors a trend in which conservative politicians have attempted to split the LGBTQ+ community by isolating trans rights as a controversial area. Such attempts, however, appear at odds with LGBTQ+ voters’ priorities, as seen in recent election cycles. Human Rights Campaign research highlights the political engagement of “Equality Voters”—a term for LGBTQ+ people and allies prioritizing LGBTQ+ inclusive policies. According to HRC’s findings, these voters are highly motivated and demographically broad, making up around 75 million potential votes. In recent elections, Equality Voters have shown a powerful influence, backing pro-equality candidates by significant margins.

In the run-up to the 2024 election, LGBTQ+ voters have expressed mounting concerns about the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, which advocates rolling back hard-won protections for the LGBTQ+ community in a second Trump term. Proponents of the initiative have called for dismantling inclusive policies, and LGBTQ+ activists warn that endorsing Trump-Vance policies would support a rollback of protections affirmed in landmark cases such as Bostock v. Clayton County and eventhe Obergefell marriage equality ruling.

Harris leads Trump among LGBTQ+ voters by a substantial margin, with over 70 percent of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer voters indicating they plan to cast ballots for the Democratic ticket, according to a September HRC poll. She holds a nearly 67-point lead over Trump, which expands to almost 70 points among those confirmed to vote.

Watch JD Vance’s ridiculous appearance on Joe Rogan’s podcast below.

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

Editor’s note: This story was updated with additional details.