Mississippi Republican Called ‘Groomer’ Defends Pink Tutu Outfit

The word “groomer” has lost all meaning since right-wing extremists began using it as a false smear against the LGBTQ+ community.

Cwnewser

A Republican lawmaker in Mississippi has come under attack for a photo that has circulated of him wearing pink. Some critics expressed concern about state Sen. Jeremy England in a pink costume. However, according to him, he wore the “very embarrassing” outfit to raise money for breast cancer research.

The photo shows him wearing a lustrous pink bodysuit and a satiny pink tutu. In response, some people called England a “groomer,” the false anti-LGBTQ+ slur. In a Facebook post on Wednesday, England claimed he was “being bullied” and receiving threats for his image.

The snap was taken at a 2020 fundraiser for Men Wear Pink, during which England posed for a photo, he said. The event benefits the American Cancer Society.

“I have no shame in the pictures being shared, I only wish it was being shared to help raise money for breast cancer awareness as intended,” he wrote.

There is a tense GOP primary underway in Mississippi at the moment. In the race for the state’s second-highest office, England supports Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann for reelection. The pink image with the caption, “Hosemann and his groomer weirdos,” was tweeted and then deleted by someone supporting Hosemann’s opponent, the Associated Press reported.