When Josh Mandel announced in February that he was seeking the Republican nomination to replace retiring Senator Rob Portman, few people thought that, by late July, he would be the favored frontrunner. But, according to CNN, he is.
Of course, the election is still 10 months away, and keeping frontrunner status in a crowded field of roughly a dozen people and counting is no easy task.
Which may explain why Mandel recently decided to make vehemently opposing gender pronouns part of his campaign platform. Because every Republican politician knows that when you want to rally up the base, just attack LGBTQ people. It’s a tried and true strategy.
Over the past week, the mediocre 43-year-old straight white male has tweeted three times about how he personally believes that there are only two genders and how he doesn’t understand what “they/them” pronouns even mean and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Stop the insanity.
There are only 2 genders.
Boys ?????
Girls ?????https://t.co/5fur06fZwo— Josh Mandel (@JoshMandelOhio) July 25, 2021
There are only 2 genders. Science.
— Josh Mandel (@JoshMandelOhio) July 24, 2021
I just saw they/them in someone’s bio. What in the world does that mean?
— Josh Mandel (@JoshMandelOhio) July 21, 2021
In addition to being a painfully obvious attempt at pandering to his base, it’s also clear that Mandel has absolutely no idea what the hell he’s talking about since he keeps confusing gender with sex and science with bigotry.
Here’s how folx have been reacting…
Why are you obsessed with this particular topic? pic.twitter.com/VVazkPY6sT
— JenYoung (@readreadready) July 25, 2021
Sex and gender are not the same
— b_methe vaxxed/masked (@b_methe) July 25, 2021
When you don’t believe in science but use the word science.
— JG (@joshgargiulo) July 25, 2021
LOL. You’re reeeeeally not gettin’ this, are you, dude?
— Rorty McSnorty (@RortyMcSnorty) July 26, 2021
— Taner (@Taner4285) July 21, 2021
Gender is a social construct. There are multiple genders … look them up
— tedbembo (@tedbembo) July 25, 2021
There are only 3 colors. Potato.
— Kristian Orr (@KristianOrr) July 25, 2021
Please know the majority of us do not think like @JoshMandelOhio. You ALL have an advocate in me and most others in #Ohio. Josh is only doing this to pander to his base. His tweets are offensive to many. He has no business pretending to lead in my state.
— Adam Dudziak (@DudziakOhio) July 21, 2021
Why don’t you get some real work done, instead of harassing GNC people online and riling up your klan base?
— Alexander Marsh (@AdjectiveNoun11) July 21, 2021
This is incorrect according to the literal definition of the word “gender.” It would me more correct, but not entirely so, to say “there are only two sexes.”
— 🇺🇸 Trip the Light Socratic 🇺🇸 (@LightSocratic) July 25, 2021
Mandel’s obsession with LGBTQ people is one of the few things that has remained consistent throughout his 15-year political career.
In addition to opposing both same-sex marriage and domestic partner benefits after previously supporting them, he also voted against extending employment non-discrimination protections to LGBTQ people while serving in the Ohio State House of Representatives. Oh, and he supports the reinstatement of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, despite having two gay cousins, one of whom served in the military.
Graham Gremore is the Features Editor and a Staff Writer at Queerty. Follow him on Twitter @grahamgremore.
Mister P
The trump base is only 30% of the registered voters. Why don’t these dumb republicans try to appeal to the other 70%?
I know they have no original ideas but common sense dictates that one should try tto appeal to the most voters.
I guess appealing to the dumbest ones is a strategy too.
Kangol2
It’s 30% of the total voting population but a sizable portion of White voters, which is why they don’t care about appealing to a wider group. The GOP’s plan is to limit who can vote by every measure, and even control elections in Democratic-leaning counties, to install themselves no matter what. Perhaps if more people spoke out about this anti-democratic crap there’d be fewer Mandels running and more sane Republicans, but instead, far too many people see vote suppression, gerrymandering, etc. as a “minority” or “Black” problem, and then are shocked when we end up with fascists like Don the Con or idiots like Josh Hawley, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, etc. in office. Mandel would love to join them.
Fahd
If I were to write the headline here, I would have put “…reaches new lows”
Gay always has been a wedge issue. With gay marriage constitutional, they need to go on to using trans people as the wedge. According to the Handbook of Demagoguery, appealing to deep-seated prejudices gets out the vote.
Cam
There are only six billion genders. I’m a three-incher 41% male, 59% giraffe.
Cam
Hey Thanks right wing troll account. I wasn’t going to comment on this story, but since you tried to steal my screename again, I guess I will. And of COURSE you had to comment because nothing outrages right wing trolls more than trans people….unless of course it’s Black people. You can’t decide which you hate worse.
This guy is just another Republican failure and hypocrite who would sell himself to the highest bidder for a little taste of an easy job.
But like all Republicans he has no substance and has to attack LGBTQ people hoping that will be enough.
tvnerdsrule
I have no doubt you are a 3 incher.
BoomerMyles
Exaggerating your size again, faker!
Openminded
Looks like he’s doing a darn good job of “stealing” your screenname. Stealing someone else’s tag line, I find this Hilarious
Liquid Silver
@Openminded. Yeah, so far, Fake Cam is funnier and more believable than “real” Cam. And I’m not so sure that Fake Cam isn’t Real Cam just trying to get some some sympathy since he sure can’t garner much on his own with that attitude.
Cam
@Liquid Silver and @Liquid Silver.
LOL!!! You’re still so desperate and insecure that you have to bring multiple screennames on to try to back up your trolling.
Wow, your desperation is just said.
Now back to the article about another failed Republican.
Invader7
We all know Miss Joshie secretly CRAVES penis in all his orifices.. Probably cruises the parks, bath houses , tea rooms & book stores.. and the online sites…
sjosephs
Josh only made into politics because of the family money. Completely useless politicians but as most Republican candidates have done, is to cater to the lowest intelligence level of the dumpster trumpsters. Unfortunately, they have succeeded on every level.
BoomerMyles
Joshie is the new Aaron Schock.
Wicked Dickie
Which means he will have enough white gays fawning over him to give him a spot on the weekend thirst trap feed that Queerty puts out.. All he needs to do is post a shirtless pic and he’s in.
Den
Aaron Schock has never shown up in Queerty’s instastud feature. Nor will he. And this guy lacks a certain something…looks and a physique, that Schock sadly has no shortage of. Queerty HAS posted pix of questionable beefcake, but not Schock.
And what is with the idiotic “white gay” crap?
Get a grip.
inbama
How is he attacking LGB people?
Complaining about they/them refers specifically to nonbinary people, and frankly, I don’t know who died and gave them the right to wreck the English language.
Kangol2
They/them as a singular pronoun has a long history in English. Nonbinary and trans people didn’t “wreck the English language,” our flexible, ever-changing language’s users had taken this step centuries ago.
Den
From the Oxford Dictionary, the arbiter of the English language (I guess you think you are, but that is a laugh):
‘2. used to refer to a person of unspecified gender.
“ask someone if they could help”‘
So it does not refer specifically to nonbinary people, you idiot, AND NOBODY CLAIMS IT DOES. It is used by folks who do not claim a specific gender. Though you (and your regressive buds) are too dull intellectually to grasp this, most others do. Either learn to think, child, or remain the laughingstock you currently are.
Den
His other positions make it clear he is attacking LGBT people to the best of his ability (which thankfully is limited). The trumpist base lumps all gender and sexual non conforming people together (if you are gay, which I doubt, they hate you as well, pissant….way more than we do, and make no mistake, given your dullness and meanness, we do). So this is simply gratuitous meat tossed to them to chew on in hopes of getting votes despite having little to no political skills to offer.
inbama
Ah Den.
Somehow you missed the specificity of that usage which, yes, does date back to 1375 –
“ 2. In anaphoric reference to a singular noun or pronoun.
a. With an antecedent that is grammatically singular, but refers collectively to the members of a group, or has universal reference (e.g. each person, everyone, nobody).” Or, as in your example, “someone.”
The absurd use of “they” to refer to one people known to us who imagines they are neither male nor female began in 2009.
Den
“The absurd use of “they” to refer to one people known to us who imagines they are neither male nor female began in 2009.”
There are people who, in fact, do not see themselves as fitting into the culturally circumscribed roles of male or female (while understanding their biological sex). So sorry that you haven’t got the intellect to understand that. Not surprised that you have no compassion or empathy for those not exactly like you (that is after all the common sociopathy of the regressive mind). But very glad that people of your ilk are rare and getting rarer.
And language changes, child. It evolves, idioms make their way into the lexicon, new concepts create new meanings for old words. I know that the ossified brain of the right winger finds that uncomfortable, but too bad…its life.
inbama
Oh, Den, you’re breaking my heart.
There’s nothing more painful than being insulted by an imbecile who thinks anyone who disagrees with him lacks knowledge of the subject? How will I face tomorrow after having been lectured about idioms by an idiot?
cuteguy
He is the new Aaron Schmuck who will prob release a coming out post years after he’s done so much damage to lgbtq population.
Heywood Jablowme
This GQP primary race has the potential to devolve into the nastiest primary in the country. Josh Mandel seems oblivious to the fact that the MAGAts generally hate Jews. (There’s not a single non-Christian Republican member of congress, ever since Eric Cantor lost a primary in 2014.) It’s kind of like Caitlyn Jenner pretending not to notice that the MAGAts hate trans people.
Mandel’s two main opponents, J.D. Vance and Jane Timkin, don’t appear to be high-minded types who would avoid anti-Jewish rhetoric. There are also a bunch of minor candidates who are foaming-at-the-mouth Trumpanzees. Josh may need the assistance of those Jewish space lasers!
I hope Den will comment about this.
Mr. Stadnick
Methinks she Doth protest too much?
Kangol2
Josh Mandel is a sick muppet!
wotan587
Personally, I think she’d make an awesome drag queen myself ? #science
BaltoSteve
Egads, there are times when reading these articles the only thing I can think of is Jamie Kennedy in Scream… “There’s a formula to it, A VERY SIMPLE FORMULA.”
1. Make yourself look like an outsider to the establishment. (Like showing up to an invite only event without an invite and then get kicked out.) (Point out how you are rich enough to own the politicians)
2. Cater and serve the outliers of your chosen party and craft your message toward them. (taking money from neo-Nazis ) (no real difference here)
3. Pick on the low hanging political fruit and manufacture controversy, proving your service to those in bullet point number 2 (LGBTQ+) (Same but add other minorities as well)
4.Repeat as necessary to get elected.
If it worked for 45, the second set of examples in parenthesis, why not for Mandel?