How Barack Obama's Sexuality Became a News Topic in 2023: Report

Recent digital discourse and conservative news outlets have reignited unfounded rumors regarding former President Barack Obama’s sexuality. But the conspiracy theory has been around for a while, so why did it blow up again this year?

The conspiracy theory is driven mainly by misinterpretations of a 1982 letter authored by Obama and baseless allegations from Larry Sinclair, Poynter and Politifact report.

The letter, penned by a young Obama to a former girlfriend and now housed at Emory University, delves into philosophical reflections on various topics, including homosexuality.

A passage from the letter explains, “In regards to homosexuality, I must say that I believe this is an attempt to remove oneself from the present, a refusal, perhaps, to perpetuate the farce of earthly life. You see, I make love to men daily, but in the imagination. My mind is androgynous to a great extent, and I hope to make it more so, until I can think of people, not women as opposed to men. But returning to the body, I see that I have been made a man, and physically, in life, I choose to accept that contingency.”

Certain conservative media outlets have misconstrued this passage despite its philosophical tone, sparking a series of speculative stories surrounding Obama’s sexuality, according to Poynter. The theory now even includes Obama murdered his chef and comedian Joan Rivers to keep "his secret" hidden.

Sinclair further fanned the speculative flames when, in 2008, he publicly claimed to have had a sexual encounter with Obama while they were on drugs.

These allegations, widely dismissed due to Sinclair’s lack of evidence and known criminal history of fraud and forgery, re-emerged recently during an interview in September with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

It was viewed more than 75 million times.

The virality of the fake story now — 15 years after it began — began in early August when a biographer referred to the letter in an interview. Right-wing media ate it up.

Obama, Poynter notes, has been targeted by a variety of conspiracy theories. As the first and only Black U.S. president, many of them involved his race — such as around his birth certificate.

The amalgamation of misinterpreted philosophical musings and discredited claims has birthed a wave of online misinformation, with experts suggesting that the current political debates surrounding LGBTQ+ rights are likely fueling the conspiracy theory.

“This is really neatly entangled with the upcoming electoral cycles, the ongoing political assaults on LGBTQ+ and in particular trans people,” TJ Billard, assistant professor of communication at Northwestern University, told Poynter.

"It also weaves into existing conspiracies. Allegations by Sinclair include drug use, secret limo rendezvous and murder, drawing on broader, QAnon-like fears of hidden and violent sexual behavior by powerful people. That conspiracy theory holds that powerful, left-leaning figures from politics, business and entertainment are part of a cabal that engages in pedophilia and cannibalism," the site wrote.

Joel Penney, associate professor of communication at Montclair State University, told the site that Obama also wasn't the stereotypical masculine figure.

“He’s an intellectual. He’s a college professor. He’s kind of skinny. He’s not like a big muscle guy,” Penney said.

As these baseless rumors continue circulating, the stark necessity for enhanced digital literacy and critical thinking among the public becomes glaringly apparent, especially in an era where misinformation can rapidly increase, impacting public discourse.

“In general, the pleasure of conspiracy theory is the sense of satisfaction or pleasure of knowing the real story is not the one that they’re telling you,” Penney said.