Candace Owens, 2021
Candace Owens (Photo: Gage Skidmore, via CC BY-S.A 2.0)

Rightwing, anti-trans pundit Candace Owens has made a name for herself for her anti-vax and anti-mask views. She has repeatedly claimed masks are ineffective and last month said she was “proud” to be unvaccinated against COVID-19, saying she “trusts her gut” more than she does Dr. Anthony Fauci.

She even boasted about sleeping next to her husband while he had Covid and not falling ill.

Now it seems she wants a Covid test and is having trouble finding one.

Owens unexpectedly pulled out of a planned appearance on Friday in Texas, Christian Collins, Founder and Director at Texas Youth Summit, where Owens had been due to speak, told the audience, “Candace Owens had a sudden illness and so I just want you to keep her in your prayers.”

Unsurprisingly, this led some to speculate she had Covid.

Owens poured water on the rumors on Monday by revealing that she was in Aspen on a family trip. She explained her silence on social media by tweeting: “Unfortunately for you — I’m at the top of an Aspen mountain with my family and limited reception. I’m still proudly unvaccinated and unmasked.”

Internet sleuths questioned how she could have been double-booked for a summit in Texas and a family vacation in Aspen at the same time. These queries went unanswered by Owens.

Then, yesterday, Owens took to Instagram to post a lengthy video to rant about her attempts to get a Covid test in Aspen.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Candace Owens (@realcandaceowens)

“HOLY CRAP!! I was banned from taking a Covid test because of my politics! So I am no longer allowed to comply with covid measures and responsibly test myself for Covid because…they don’t like my politics in Aspen.”

It turns out that Owens booked a test at a private lab. She later received an email from the founder of the lab saying they had decided not to see her. Owens shared the correspondence on her Twitter and Instagram.

The email she received purportedly came from a woman called Suzanna Lee.

It stated: “I’ve just learned of this testing request and as the owner of this business am going to refuse this booking and deny service. We cannot support anyone who has pro-actively worked to make this pandemic worse by spreading misinformation, politicizing and DISCOURAGING the wearing of masks and actively dissuading people from receiving life-saving vaccinations.”

The email went on to point Owens in the direction of the “free kiosk by the City Hall”, where she could get a walk-in appointment, although the result times could vary as they send their samples off to Texas for testing.

“My team and myself have worked overtime, to exhaustion, unpaid and underpaid this past year, spending our own capital to ensure that our community remains protected,” the email continued. “It would be unfair to them and to the sacrifices we have all made this year to serve you.”

Related: Candace Owens rages over Muppets “pushing trans agenda”, wants return of “Manly Muppets”

Owens was livid.

She fired back a reply saying she had “never laughed harder” at any other email she had received.

“Nothing screams ‘this virus isn’t political’ quite like googling the names of the people who book tests with you and determining on a case by case basis whether or not you will let them comply with your community covid measures.

Owens continued, “That nobody stopped you from hitting send on such an emotionally unstable and hysterical e-mail leads me to believe that the people who work for you must love me, and would therefore never deny me this entertainment.”

Related: Candace Owens, Cardi B. threaten lawsuits over claim Owens’ husband slept with her brother

If Owens was expecting sympathy on Twitter, it was in short supply. Here are a few of the reactions.

Unsurprisingly, some supporters of Owens have voiced criticism of the lab, with a few individuals on social media suggesting it be flooded with negative reviews online.

Queerty has contacted the private lab facility concerned for comment and will update this story if we receive one.

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