Five Gay Hoaxes That Had Us Fooled

Another day, another hoax. Every now and then a story comes along that gets everyone all fired up: A waitress receives a homophobic note in place of a tip; a president’s grandson comes out via Twitter; a lesbian claims she was denied hospital visitation rights. We go crazy, only to find later that we’ve been had. It was all a hoax.

There have been a number of gay hoaxes in the past year, and two this month alone. What’s up with this growing trend? And how many times will people cry wolf before we stop believing them?

Check out just a few recent gay hoaxes. (And one we knew was a fake all along.)

The Woman Named “Beth”

Earlier this month, a homophobic note written on the back of a child’s birthday party invitation made its rounds on the internet. The note was from a woman named “Beth” who said she was declining the invite on grounds that the birthday girl, “Sophia”, was the daughter of two dads:

Tommy will NOT attend. I do not believe in what you do and will not subject my innocent son to your “lifestyle.” I’m sorry Sophia has to grow up this way. If you have an issue or need to speak to me [she included her phone number].

Days later it was revealed the whole thing was a myth cooked up by two radio hosts in Long Island. Steve Harper and Leeana Karlson, the hosts of K-98.3’s morning show, were both suspended from their jobs for one week. They are scheduled to return to work on February 24.

Dayna Morales

Dishonorably-discharged Army veteran-turned-waitress Dayna Morales, a lesbian from New Jersey, earned herself a spot on “America’s Most Hated Gays” list last year when she lied about receiving a nasty note in place of a tip at the restaurant where she worked. The story made national headlines and resulted in people from across the country sending Morales more than $3000 in sympathic donations. Shortly after Morales went public with her story, the family she had accused of stiffing her came forward to say the whole thing was a big, fat lie. Morales’ friends and co-workers corroborated the family’s story, and as a result, she was fired from her job.

JFK’s Gay Grandson

Last week, rumors that JFK’s only grandson, John Bouvier Kennedy Schlossberg (a.k.a. “Jack”), had come out as gay in an article published on Yale’s blog The Bulldog had everyone in a tizzy. The announcement was made from Schlossberg’s own Twitter account, so it seemed authentic. And let’s face it: This is one we really, really wanted to believe.

But the joke was on us.

Hours after the story broke, Gawker reported it was a hoax. It published an email from Jack that read: “The article was written by someone who impersonates me online. I did not write the article and, for the record, am not gay. Thanks.”

Whomp, whomp.

Shortly after that, the bogus Twitter account was deleted. BTW, we still hope Jack is gay.

Sarah Bray

Lesbian Sarah Bray got our attention last November when she claimed she was barred from visiting her partner Jennifer Clemmer’s hospital room.

“We are in a partnership,” a tearful Bray said at the time. “It’s heart-wrenching. If I were a man and this were my wife, there would be no issue.”

Clemmers was checked into the hospital after an alleged prescription drug overdose.

Turns out, it was all a bunch of hogwash.

A week later, Bray was arrested and charged with battery and criminal confinement. It was alleged she staged the whole prescription drug overdose after beating Clemmer unconscious. The hospital staff was on to her, which is why they wouldn’t let her in the room.

Bray now faces up to four years in prison.

Alan Chambers and Exodus International

For years, repressed homosexual ex-gay bisexual Alan Chambers touted pray-the-gay-away conversion therapy through his organization, Exodus International. Then last June, he shocked everyone by announcing he was shutting operations down, claiming that, despite his every well-intentioned effort, conversion therapy does not actually work. Duh.

He also issued a lengthy public apology that read, in part:

I am sorry for the pain and hurt that many of you have experienced.  I am sorry some of you spent years working through the shame and guilt when your attractions didn’t change. I am sorry we promoted sexual orientation change efforts and reparative theories about sexual orientation that stigmatized parents.

In October 2013, Chambers and his wife, Leslie, launched a new organization called Speak.Love., which has the vague mission of “help[ing] steer the conversation for Christians and homosexuality.” Whatever that means.

But, yes, we are happy to know, this was no hoax. After years of denial, Chambers had finally come to his senses.