Conservatives are absolutely up in arms over an old tweet written by White House press secretary in Jen Psaki last summer that they say is homophobic.
The tweet in question was posted to Psaki’s personal Twitter page back in August and makes a reference to Senator Lindsey Graham, calling him the nickname “Lady G.”
“Only in 2020 does #LadyG get to push a bunch of debunked conspiracy theories while questioning @SallyQYates (aka an American hero),” Psaki wrote.
only in 2020 does #LadyG get to push a bunch of debunked conspiracy theories while questioning @SallyQYates (aka an American hero)
— Jen Psaki (@jrpsaki) August 5, 2020
The nickname comes from a since-deleted Medium article published last year in which a male sex worker claimed to have engaged in a sexual relationship with the senator, who he called “Lady G.”
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Since then, the hashtag #LadyG has trended numerous times and has been employed by countless Twitter users. Psaki is literally one of millions of others who have use it.
Of course, nobody’s more upset with her about it than conservatives…
Homophobia and intolerance from the Left is growing.
This should be widely condemned. @PressSec https://t.co/94GW0Xzaoq
— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) February 3, 2021
Fire Jen psaki for using a homophobic slur she should be fired instantly
— Jeffrey Molinaro (@hollywood4205) February 4, 2021
So let's circle back to this homophobic tweet from @PressSec, who used a gay slur to trash Lindsey Graham.
Try not to be a bigot at your next job Jen.https://t.co/mydsEBZZyY
— Cassandra (@CassyWearsHeels) February 3, 2021
@PressSec The count down has begun to when you will be fired and you can go run for your HOA and spend the rest of your life making people take down their flags. Just when we thought things couldn’t get worse we got you!
— Jeffrey Adams (@pabeachboy) February 4, 2021
If you want to know what a media double standard looks like, Jen Psaki, as a CNN employee, can tweet this, get hired to be a White House Press Secretary, and not even feel compelled to delete it after it was unsurfaced a few days ago. She doesn’t care. She’s on the same team. https://t.co/MDpadFLSSk
— Steve Krakauer (@SteveKrak) February 3, 2021
Did I miss the moment in the briefing when someone called Jen Psaki out on her apparently homophobic tweet? Can't believe Kayleigh McEnany would get the same treatment?
— Alan Fisher (@AlanFisher) February 3, 2021
Whitehouse spokesperson Jen Psaki derided Lindsey Graham with a homophobic tweet just 6 months ago (LadyG). https://t.co/xY4j66iwis
— Rooster (@roosterplumage) February 3, 2021
Jen Psaki should apologize to Lindsey Graham for her homophobic slur and then be fired – what’s wrong with Biden who pushes this “unity” BS and then says nothing when weirdos in his party tee off on Republicans because they just don’t like them …
— President Elect Ron, Patriot Party #KAG, USAF Vet (@REDCO131) February 4, 2021
. @PressSec should apologize to the gay community. This is the type of demeaning language we should all be against. This isn’t partisan. @jrpsaki https://t.co/jbzhbuHp2N
— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) February 2, 2021
Jen Psaki is so unqualified and terrible at her job
and should be fired immediately— Ryan Ruch (@Ryanruch97) February 2, 2021
We can’t help but note the irony of people who regularly attack LGBTQ people and actively fight against LGBTQ equality being suddenly concerned about homophobia.
We would also be remiss not to note the irony of these people being angry at Psaki over one tweet when their leader was Twitter Bully #1 and said far more egregious things before eventually having his account permanently suspended.
In a statement to Fox News, Graham’s office called Psaki’s tweet disappointing and said it was very telling of the type of person she is.
“Very disappointed someone in her position would embrace this style politics,” Kevin Bishop, a spokesman for Graham’s office, said. “It says more about her than it does about Senator Graham.”
Graham, of course, voted yes on a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage, voted yes on banning gay adoptions, and co-sponsored amending Constitution to define traditional marriage. He also holds a 0% rating with both the HRC and ACLU for his stances on gay rights and civil rights.
But, sure, Psaki’s the homophobe.
Graham Gremore is the Features Editor and a Staff Writer at Queerty. Follow him on Twitter @grahamgremore.
rural queer socialist
Ms/Mr/Their/Zir Psaki’s comment WAS homophobic AND misogynist! Why have all the many national and state and local queer orgs not denounced it?
Monkey1
Maybe she’ll circle back on this?
Cam
Hi Roy Ajax,
I’ve told you that when you try to come on here and put things like “Socialist” or “Liberal” in your new screenames, it’s a dead giveaway.
I’ve also told you that sending your other screenames in to defend or echo your fist comment…as you did with the screename “Monkey1” just makes it even more obvious.
How embarrassing for you.
lord.krath
Because it was not, that is why.
How would the nickname LadyG be homophobic?
It can certainly be an offensive reference much in the same way as “China” was or “LilMarco” or “Lyin’Ted” are intended to be, sure. I’m sure that was the point.
The question is why would it be offensive.
It is a name/handle reportedly given by a sex worker to reference [Graham] and its use is clearly in reference to the hypocrisy and audacity of Graham’s politics. That is the context, not that a gay sex worker gave the name to mock Graham for being a closeted and self-loathing [gay].
People need a better read on context.
AxelDC
I’ve never heard a woman called a misogynist before. Do you know what that word actually means?
barryaksarben
still trying to just COUNT the number of horrible lies and slurs the Trump people made so it may be awhile til they get around to this minor insult which by the way I used as LadyG needs to be outed as she has harmed actual gay people while JEN has NOT
Toofie
There’s a newly elected Republican that thinks a Jewish laser started California fires, that school shootings didn’t happen. Where are these Republican tweeters coming for her?
basils_Herald
Because people are imperfect and we sometimes say things that are out of touch with our ethics if they make a troll like Senator Graham look bad is the best answer I can come up with.
The fact that you could hear a pin drop when listening for the backlash from the queer community should be all you need to know. Psaki seems more in touch with the media, even queer media, than Biden and she’s committed to doing her job as press secretary.
Also, can we get Psaki do redo the Kathy Griffin photo of Trump’s head?
Cam
Nobody gets more enraged when a homophobe is outted, than other homphobes or closet cases.
Republicans trying to pretend they care about homophobia are like KKK members trying to pretend they’re concerned about black teens being shot by police.
Kangol2
It’s total performative, hypocritical hissy fit BS. I’m glad Jen Psaki is ignoring them. The DL right-wing Senator can come out and apologize for his ignominious homophobic record first!
barryaksarben
NO ONE CARES WHAT THE RIGHT WING LIARS WHO SUPPORTED TRUMPS ATTACKS ON GAYS HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THIS . It is just their way of trying to cloudy the waters when they need to look in the damned mirror
Kangol2
Has Lady G ever apologized for his homophobia AND his support for anti-LGBTQ policies? EVER? Have the vast majority of RepubliQans and Qanonservatives? Has Don the Q-anon?
Let’s set a timer and see how long it takes many of these fakes to apologize for the long and hateful past record of the GOP toward LGBTQueer people.
barryaksarben
NO THEY HAVENT SO WE DONT CARE ABOUT THEIR SUPPOSED OUTRAGE. Like trump it is just another LIE wrapped in another LIE
Fahd
This all, especially the list of tweets from within the choir to one another, is like what the Mooch called, s*cking your own c*ck. Makes them feel better because they themselves are a bunch of hypocrites trying to reconcile that some people whom they hate (gay people) are among their leaders or trying to be (Grennell). So, they lash out in phony outrage at perceived hypocrisy on the other side (a hah!). Trouble is they had a President who talked about “grabbing ’em by the p*ssy, etc.
Jen should just say she thought #LadyG was what Graham was officially using. (All’s fair when dealing with a snake like Graham (see tactics to use with Jesse Helms).
Tempest in a teapot, but good clickbait.
Jere
Nowhere in that tweet did Jen Psaki identify Graham unless everyone, including Graham himself, is now acknowledging that the whole Lady G rumor is true. I wonder if this is Graham’s way of tiptoeing out of the closet finally.
indulged
Hey, good catch! I concur…
CaptainChaos
I wouldn’t expect a bunch of homophobic policy supporters, trolls, and self haters to know the difference between a homophobic slur and shade. That requires far more nuance than they ever demonstrated in their lives…
Chipster
OK, lets set something straight here (pun intended)
People in the LBGTQ community in and around Washington have been using the term LadyG to refer to Lindsey Graham for quite some time (I couldn’t tell you the origins – plus, I’m not spilling any tea here!)
The fact that Jen Psaki used the term in a tweet does NOT indicate she’s homophobic (unless you’re claiming that Lindsey Graham really IS a homosexual!) – what it DOES indicate to me is that she has *ties* to the LGBTQ community in and around Capitol Hill!
She likely didn’t think twice about using that term for the Senator – because she heard it frequently (if not OFTEN) in the “circles” in which she mingled…
She should apologize when Trump starts apologizing for his obnoxious and offensive tweets…
If he starts this afternoon, and does one apology per minute… we’ll wait…
She can issue her apology sometime in June! 🙂
strap2900
I didn’t hear her say Lindsay Graham, so I guess it’s common knowledge Lady G is the pet name given to Graham by male prostitutes. How can it be homophobic since Graham says he’s straight?
Aaron
Queerty creating fake accounts to stir up discourse in their comment section is hilarious.
jthomasmpls
I think it’s sad that for some it’s acceptable to hold people accountable to the low, unacceptable standards of another as justification of bad behavior.
barryaksarben
I think it sad when someone PRETENDs to be sad or offended by something they dont feel sad ab out but use it to try to troll people on a site they are there just to troll
humble charlie
very funny, barry!
indulged
I suspect poor reading comprehension is a common denominator—if not a requirement—for those making up the mob mentality. I would have bet my dance card that she was of the sapphic persuasion, anyhow.
The real injustice is in no one speaking up how there’s nothing wrong with being a lady in the first place…sigh
woodroad34
How many “Lady G’s” are there in the GQP? Graham, Grenell…
tjack47
Lindseybelle is such a magnolia.
Gay Thomas
I call her Lady G every time I refer to her. I didn’t give her that nickname. It was the dozens of escorts and street trade that gave it to her while they were breeding her nasty ass. Nothing homophobic about it. She earned this badge of dishonor by being a self-loathing, anti-gay bigot.
trell
The Lady(G) doth protest too much….!
GayEGO
I call Lindsey Graham – Linda Graham Cracker and I am gay .
I will take Jen Psaki as the press secretary any time over Kayleigh McEnema, Sarah Huckleberry, etc. as Jen speaks the truth rather than repeating the Trump fake news.
okiloki
They’re all hypocrites. And Ms Grenell is the worst; she sold her people out for a fancy title.
cuteguy
Everyone knows if a GQP member had said this it would’ve been celebrated. No story here. Leave Lady G in the closet and her co-horts can feign clutching their pearls on another story
BThom
It’s troubling to me that some on the left like Graham Gremore, are willing to give a free pass to bigots like Jen Psaki. Her tweet about Sen. Graham’s alleged sexual orientation would have been front-page news if she was a Republican. The LGBTQIA+ community would have rightly become unhinged if she was a Republican.
When an entire article can be devoted to labeling all Republicans as bigots for being alarmed by Psaki’s tweet, instead of focusing on the tweet itself and an examination of the person who wrote it, credibility on this issue is diminished. I spent over 17 years working for power brokers in government in Washington DC, and in my experience, I was hired because my own ideology aligned with the executive I worked for. In fact, I would suggest I often parroted what my boss was saying. (see Rumsfeld’s Rules)
Psaki was working for the Biden campaign when she posted this tweet, and I would bet my last dollar that her thoughts align with her boss. Gremore’s article tells millions of young people that being a bigot is O.K. as long as you’re a Democrat, or a closeted Republican (no pun intended).
I’m retired to ministry these days, and spend a good bit of time assuring young and old members of the LGBTQIA+ community that sexuality doesn’t determine who “does and does not” get into heaven.
DrJones
All those people don’t get to decide that suddenly that twitter hashtag is “homophobic,” only LGBTQ get to decide that, that is their fake “outrage” which is just deflection for all the horrible homophobic things their “people” have said over the years. The Biden administration is the most inclusive administration in history and it’s only been a few weeks. They are truly working on LGBTQ rights where the conservatives only served to advance restrictions and take away rights. “LadyG” is a truly evil person and deserves a nickname far more revealing than that.
BThom
When you make gay conservatives fair game, you reopen the market on all gays.