Former Illinois GOP Congressman Aaron Schock has turned up (yet again) shirtless on a beach, this time partying with gay Israeli actor Eliad Cohen.
Cohen, whose work as a party promoter overshadows his work as an actor and in reality TV, founded Gay-ville, Israel’s LGBTQ vacation rental service. Now 31, he came out as gay at age 20. He also founded the PAPA Party, a touring circuit party that originated at Tel Aviv Pride.
Related: Aaron Schock spotted at another queer party… but is anyone surprised?
Schock, of course, made a career in politics out of demonizing LGBTQ people. He opposed the repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy which banned LGBTQ people from serving in the armed forces and opposed hate crime legislation. He left Congress in disgrace, facing charges of misappropriation of funds and tax evasion for spending campaign funds on personal expenses.
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Schock has denied he is gay since 2009, though since leaving government in 2015, numerous video and photographs (including nudes) have shown him tipping male strippers, posing shirtless with gay Instagrammers, sticking his hand down the pants of a man at Coachella, and turning up at gay circuit parties and other venues. His turning up alongside circuit party promoter Cohen fits that pattern.
armandov
This guy is gross. On one hand, I don’t begrudge him for wanting to party it up all the time (even at age 38) but I still can’t get over his hideous record fighting AGAINST gay rights during his tenure as a state representative. He even fought against gay marriage! He now wants to be part of the gay community – enjoying the freedoms that liberal gay people have fought for when he tried to hold the community back for years.
Now that he is no longer in politics and as far as I can tell, not working or barely working, why doesn’t he use his political background to influence other Republicans to tone down their anti-gay rhetoric and their attempts to muffle the gay community. He has a chance to redeem himself and has dont nothing. F him.
tennman
See Above
Low Country Boy
I think you nailed it when you said he has a chance to redeem himself but has done nothing. Come on, Aaron, you need to publicly come out, sincerely apologize for your past actions, and work to undo some of the damage you’ve done.
Josh447
People have been calling on him to redeem himself now for years. It falls on deaf ears.
jayceecook
“even at 38”
I literally LOLed at that. Some stereotypes aren’t stereotypes at all.
Gabby
Yes!
Gandalf The Grey
I agree. And anyone in our community who associates with him is giving comfort and aid to the enemy. Ostracize this loser and never let people forget the terrible things he has done, his hypocrisy, and his failure to even try to make amends!
Dymension
Even at 38? What’s that supposed to mean? That he’s too old to be partying it up all the time?
James Hart
Eliad Cohen also has advertised on Rent Men; perhaps he was being paid by Aaron Schock to “entertain” him.
thisisnotreal
When will this dude address the elephant in the room? He’s clearly started embracing his gay side instead of hiding it like he used to so why all this hush hush stuff? Normally I would say that a person has the right to their privacy and doesn’t owe the public anything, but after Aaron’s long storied past fighting against the LGBT community and making our lives harder he needs to just come out of the closet and make a formal statement. He owes it to the community that he’s backstabbed for many years to just lay it on the table and admit that he’s gay and to apologize profusely for everything he’s done in his past against our community. We deserve that much from him and at this point he owes all of us. I refuse to allow this guy to just go from being a closeted homophobe, to a nonstop partying queen without him ever having to address his past mistakes and clearing the air. he doesn’t get to play all of us like that and then just come out in private and carry on with his new life and have everyone welcome him and forget.
My2CentsWorth
Very true. He needs to become decent and the only way is to become decent is to admit his wrong. in the past. If he does that he should be forgiven. Just as Paxton D. Singer, of Sugar Grove, IL, who was a pastor in Harvest Bible Chapel in Aurora, IL should do if he like this guy was mouthing a lot of anti-gay comments to fit in with the Harvest Bible Chapel’s very conservative and very anti-LGBTQ position. I don’t know what Paxton said and I consider him and others to be a victim, maybe more so than the boys he approached.
alphacat123
Hey, thisisnotreal, I completely agree with you and I like how you put it, but — I think we should avoid using the word “admit” when discussing revealing our gayness. Would you “admit” that you were, say, Jewish, or blue-eyed, or left-handed? “Admit” sounds like one is revealing something shameful. Being gay is not shameful. Am I splitting hairs? I don’t think so. Using “admit” subtly reinforces the bigots’ arguments. But it’s so ingrained in us, I have to remind myself not to use it. Thanks.
Gandalf The Grey
Actually he never really hid it. He’s partied it up his whole life by stocking his various offices with twinks. Like people from his home town say: It was the worst kept secret around! I hate that piece of trash. And now I will never see one of Eliad Cohen’s movies (like anyone outside of Israel has ever heard of him. Because he’s aiding and abetting the enemy if not sleeping with this turd!
sonic_source
I’d be perfectly happy never hearing this guy’s name mentioned ever again. He is a pariah. Who cares what he says or does?
Mattster
He’s not being treated as a pariah, though, he seems to have no trouble finding plenty of people to party with. Too bad so many people fixate on his looks and not his appalling hypocrisy and corruption.
What is he doing for money? He’s got big legal bills. Has he got family money?
redzebra1
Mattster he works in real estate. So that’s how he finances himself
Gandalf The Grey
redzebra1 he also embezzles and avoids paying his taxes to help finance his lavish lifestyle!
My2CentsWorth
Armandov is 1000% correct. This guy and the one in Tennessee (who has a LGBTQ son whom he may have disowned because of his sexual orientation) are very bad people. I can understand one not wanting to be out and dealing with the hate but at least such people should not engage is self hatred that affects others.
I also have an issue with this picture. It was taken to suggest that the guy in the foreground is about to give the guy, who is obviously not underneath him, a blowjob. This does not help.
Mack
Wouldn’t doubt that if he did come out, he would be a LCR. They really have no respect for themselves.
Cambriaguy
Sickening guy accomplished nothing in Congress and was a thief and stole from the voters. He only stopped because he got caught and could never get reelected. Nothing here but a sad shell of a person who can not even admit to his crimes or mistakes.
Gandalf The Grey
Actually he was forced to resign from Congress! Also he avoided prosecution by paying a small portion of the money he embezzled from campaign funds as well as taxpayer (public) funds and hid the income from the IRS and State Taxes.
OTB
Why does queerty focus on this guy? Who cares?
HmphGay
Because this is the absolute best way to hold him accountable for his actions! There should be a daily Aaron Schock shaming. Both for him and the gays that enable him.
redzebra1
HmphGay it would be even better when in person! T be loudly denounced booed & jeered out of venues & events! People that recognise him should do that! Performers with the microphone should point him out in the crowd and demand he explain himself!
breal
What about confronting the Gaymous people embracing him? Not sure they should get a pass.
HmphGay
EXACTLY!!! Instead of just writing about him, Queerty, contact Cohen…DEMAND an explanation. Drag his enablers down with him if necessary!
D_Bro
Yeah, I was kind of wondering this also. Why have circuit gays embraced him? Just because he is physically attractive (as long as you don’t look past the outside) doesn’t mean that you should allow him to not cop to his horrible past.
Todd.Brooklyn
Why does anyone care about him anymore? He is a sad person that doesn’t seem to be searching for the limelight, so what is the gay media infatuation with a horrible role model.
HmphGay
Hell yeah he’s not searching for the limelight! I’m sure he would like nothing better than to be forgotten. How easy and convenient would that be to let him off the hook that easily?! Hell no! Imagine the harm damage he did by promoting such hatred. He needs to publicly apologize!!
RyanMBecker
Not entirely true. He gave an interview in March (or so) 2019 — less than a year ago — to CBS, where he expressed regret over resigning. And mused that he may run for office again. No apologies for his unethical behavior or homophobic votes. Not even a mention. An interview with CBS and possible foray into politics are hardly “doesn’t seem to be searching for the limelight.”
Cam
Every time there is a story about him, a few sad accounts come on to defend a self hating bigot who voted to attack LGBTQ people’s civil rights.
Matt1961
Everyone saying Shock should apologize and help make things better for the LGBTQ community, what would you say the chances are that he’d even be given that much cred by that same community if he does what you’ve asked? I think no matter what he does, there will still continue to be that loud chorus of activists who will keep him at arm’s length, discount every move he makes and makes sure he’ll never be able to make amends to those he’s hurt in the past. He, just like every other closeted uber-homophobe, are misguided and reflexively trying to deflect their own reality. Do we allow them to re-enter the fold, or shun them forever.
Hillers
All valid questions. While I’m sure there are some of us who will shun him forever, there are also those of us who believe in forgiveness. In the case of Schock, that forgiveness may be easier to come to for the former group if he would start by apologizing for his track record and making amends to correct the ills for which he’s been responsible. Of course, publicly coming out would be a good precursor to all of this.
cliche guevara
A person doesn’t seek redemption for the sake of others they do it for themselves. The choice to do the right thing and be a better person should be dependent on the approval of others.
Cam
@Matt1961
Translation: We have ANOTHER account defending a self hating bigot, and you say that no bigots should ever apologize because some people may not forgive them.
How convenient for bigots and racists.
rbernard
Many of our most homophobic critics are self loathing closeted gay men , who were raised in a religious family, and it is not only unacceptable, it is seemingly impossible for them to quit living the self deprecating double life and come out of the closet. What they end up doing is attacking the gay community so that others around them don’t think they are gay themselves. It is a sick little pattern in our community you see frequently in the south.
No doubt Aaron Schock’s story is a complicated one.
It doesn’t negate the fact he has attacked our community, his own community, by supporting or sponsoring anti LGBTQ legislation.
No question about it, Aaron Schock wronged our community and owes us all a public apology, which he probably won’t do (he is still a card carrying republican).
Which is why people will continue to point out his hypocrisy from now till the end of time.
My2CentsWorth
Hey alphacat123,
I agree with what you said and get the point. Being what one is should not be something (as far as race and sexual orientation go) to be ashamed of.
Tempus
Why keep posting this? The only people who care that he’s gay are the people who end up in bed with him and that pretty much answers the question. Apparently some gay guys don’t hate him for whatever reason and I don’t care either way. You can argue that they have bad choice of friends…but I say that about straight people I know all the time the biggest difference is in this scenario being they could at least be getting sex out of it. It’s old news that he’s got or had internalized homophobia and that he’s gay. I’m not happy about his actions in the past but we can’t change what he did so we might as well just move forward. Maybe karma will get him in the end but posts on Queerty won’t even annoy him.
Cam
How do articles about a clear example of Republican hypocrisy and bigotry harm you?
mz.sam
OMG! Aaron and Eliad make a super hot couple. Need to see video.
gaypalmsprings
I’d hit it, except Republicans spread the coronavirus.
batesmotel
Do some research. It started in China. US tourists then picked it up and brought it back into the US.
AnthonyS23
This guy is total trash, and so are the vapid F-listers hanging out with him.
frapachino
F*ck cancel culture and no that doesn’t mean I agree with his past political views.
Kangol2
Maybe he’ll get a scarlet H for Homophobic Hypocrite tattooed his face or @ss just to make you puke your guts out.
Cam
Adorable that someone tries to hide the fact that this guy actively voted to attack LGBTQ people. Voting against marriage, adoption, etc… yet not liking a direct attack on our right to exist is “Cancel Culture”.
Next tell us how you really hate that you can’t publicly use the “N word” anymore.
Kangol2
He’s repellent. But Queerty, why not also cover someone like openly gay former GOP Congressman Jim Kolbe, from Arizona, who was outed after he voted for the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in 1996, and has left the Republican Party over its support for the corrupt, disastrous, lawless presidency of Don the Con Drumpf. Kolbe still considers himself a “traditional conservative,” but even he cannot abide the ongoing debacle that the Orange Oaf represents. (BTW, thought he voted for DOMA, he later did vote against other anti-gay marriage laws the GOP pushed, and eventually married his male partner in 2013.)
garyinla
Is that him in the floral shorts? Roid belly!
Midtownny1
Or Truvada……
D_Bro
@Midtownny1 – what are you talking about. A distended belly is not a side effect of Truvada. Don’t spout off on things that you don’t know.
Midtownny1
I am on it D_Bro and have increased belly fat.
D_Bro
@Midtownny1 – you have increased belly fat because you are either getting older, eating wrong and/or not exercising enough. I am on Truvada also and lost weight and inches on my waist by changes to my diet. But no time before that did my waist get bigger after starting on Truvada.
Where do you get the idea that your belly fat gain is because on the drug?
BigJohnSF
Shirtless? On a beach? I’m shocked!
Midtownny1
I am more concerned with Aaron’s swim suit. It looks as though his fashion taste has regressed back to the days of the purple checkered shirt with the blue belt and the white pants.
sjosephs
Not to be too crass, but Aaron wants his cake and eat it too. He f**ked the community and now wants to be f**ked by the community.
garybw
He is a disgrace to our community. He ought to be gutted and strung up.
He has done more harm to us and has no regrets to himself or us.
dmar
there’s a whole party of gay republicans still trying to get a seat at the table. The republican party is made of 2 things: greed and conservative values. No person will change that, so stop expecting LGBT+ republicans to do anything meaningful for the LGBT+ community. In the eyes of the public and republican party, this man is out and this is all you’re going to get. He’s white and rich, so he will always get into parties, clubs, festivals, and in the pants of thirsty gays. Move on, cause he already did
frapachino
The hypocrisy of the left is truly remarkable. “He’s white and rich”! Leave your bigotry behind and be the change you wish to see in others, BIGOT!
Cam
@frapachino
Sweetie, the desperation of you right wing troll accounts is just sad. Attacking “The left”. Let’s see, and by “The left” you mean people who AREN’T trying to take away our rights?
Head on back to your CPAC meeting….oh right, Republicans won’t let you attend.
Gandalf The Grey
dmar, I hear what you are saying but he and those like him will never be welcome in my house! And I will judge those who take him in for the reasons you stated!
woodroad34
“Actor”? And isn’t Shock looking a little steroided? Is he trying to get into porn?
batesmotel
You’re the only one that keeps saying he’s anti-gay, yet everytime you turn around he’s hanging out with gays who obviously don’t believe that he is.
Mattster
His voting record is all public knowledge. He voted against LGBTQ equality 100% of the time, both in the state house and in Congress. He also raised large amounts of money to get other bigots elected.
That he can party it up in gay venues doesn’t show he’s not anti gay, just that he and the people he’s partying with have immense cognitive dissonance.
Assuming they even know who he is, politics doesn’t come up much at circuit parties.
Cam
Next you’re going to tell us that wife beaters don’t hate women because they hang around with them.
GayEGO
I am schocked, simply schocked I tell you! Oh well, another homophobic who hates himself for being gay!
JackKirby
Stop giving this tool media space.
radiooutmike
How does a homophobic POS get a hot guy like that?
paul dorian lord fredine
i keep expecting him to finally let loose and put out a full-on porn, bottoming of course.
davidkit
He is an insult to all men, gay or straight. Wish he would just disappear from the planet so I wouldn’t have to hear about this piece of human garbage any longer.
mozzer
This POS is lucky he had his “privilege”. He really should be locked up right now the way Illinois locks up everybody else.
Goosecurls
I just stopped following Eliad Cohen on Instagram. Where I thought he was a open and unapologetic gay man, turns out he isn’t. And, welcomes the company of those like him. Doesn’t matter what’s in your heart and mind to him. What matters is that you look good. I agree with the other commenter that someone should ask Eliad what’s in his head.
Gandalf The Grey
Hear, hear!
David
Self jusitfication is not the same thing as self acceptance. Schock has lived an incredibly privileged double life. Much of it at Taxpayer expense. His rambling Insta-sermon was dripping with an overwhelming sense of entitlement .
What is remarkable about AS is his honest belief that because he is what many gay men would consider good looking, THAT is some sort of get out homophobic asshole jail free card. As if having Abs is more relevant than having a concience or ethics. And the ugly truth that many of us don’t want to admit is.. in many corners of our Gay World, it is.
If Schock didn’t look like he does, he would have vanished completely from our collective public Gaydar with his resignation from congress years ago. But the sad truth is a disgraced ex congressman from Peoria IL who posts hot shirtless selfies, rates more column inches in gay online media oh… say LGBT activists in places like places like Asia and Africa who risk their lives every day to make the world a better and safer place to be Gay,
I get it, the idea of holding Schock accountable for his actions while in office that hurt our community is very appealing. I cant help but think the best way to do that is to simply ignore him.
dhmonarch89
QUEERTY features Cohen 2-3 times a month in it’s ‘INSTASTUDS’ Feature…maybe you should rethink that!
jasentylar
Am I missing something? He came out on Instagram days ago and there hasn’t been a Queerty article about it????!!
Invader7
What Mr DooDoo Head needs is a big ole case of juju ( aka BAD karma ) to come his way via the Corona virus, gets COVID-19 & just DIE already. He sold his soul to the devil aka republitard politics and stabbed the whole GLBTQ community in the back. For which he should ALWAYS be ridiculed , reminded and ostracized for his Hitlerian Neo NAZI FASCIST record. In the words of Rose Nylund on the Golden Girls : ” Just DEAD DEAD DEAD .”