Rep. Brian Sims, the only out LGBT politician serving in the state of Pennsylvania, has been making a name for himself. He recently shared some of the homophobic hate mail his office receives, and before that he welcomed Mike Pence to Philadelphia with a one finger salute. A new interview with The Advocate is finding him back in headlines, and his comments on misogyny and homophobia seem especially noteworthy.
“I put myself in a lot of situations where I know homophobia already exists,” Sims explains.
The 39-year-old openly gay Democratic member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives has been a vocal advocate for pay-equality. It’s on this issue that the out legislator makes some connections between homophobia and misogyny, explaining why just because some people are marginalized, it doesn’t make them an advocate for others facing similar obstacles.
“The same mind that thinks gay is wrong is a mind that already thinks that women are lesser, that femininity is weak. And so, what I see is most homophobia is really anger at a person because their sexuality veers from what somebody [else thinks] it should be…”
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Next, Sims explains that he serves alongside many closeted members and that he believes some of the most intense misogyny against women hails from gay men.
“I serve with over a dozen closeted members, whom I would never identify to anybody else, and when I joined the legislature, many of them were co-sponsors of anti-LGBT bills. Some of the most intense misogyny I see towards women comes from gay men. Whereas I would think that living a life where others marginalize you would teach you how to combat marginalization and how to recognize it, oftentimes, it teaches people how to be good at it themselves.”
Erik
“that he believes some of the most intense misogyny against women hails from gay men. ”
Interesting perspective. On the other hand, many of the leaders of the war against GLBTQ civil rights have been women – Anita Bryant, Tamika Mallory, Beverly LaHaye, Maggie Gallagher.
Yes, the Log Cabin Republicans do exist, and they do support bans on abortion. But they’re more a reflection of heterosexual society.
Midniter
I lost a ton of respect for him when he said that Anthony Rapp, Terry Crewes, and James Van Der Beek shouldn’t be speaking out about their own MeToo moments. He said that it was only acceptable for women to share what had happened to them because by men talking, it was taking focus away from the women and when he got called out about it on FB, he shut up about it eventually, but never apologized. I just thought it was kind of dismissive and irresponsible.
Donston
His shallow, broadstroking criticisms of the “gay community” and his dismissiveness towards men who have dealt with abuse, rape, assault, harrassment, etc. reveals that he’s just another self-hating dude disguising himself as someone who is out and proud and as someone who’s an “ally” to all, not realizing that he himself has benefitted greatly from his looks, race and identity.
I’m tired of people using movements and phrases to cover up their own issues. Conversations about misogyny and effemiphobia need to be had. But there’s a lot of uncomfortable, less pc conversations that need to be had as well.
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JoeyRamone
Stop the presses! Misogyny exists in the gay community! News Flash!! Next you’ll be telling me that racism, classism, homophobia also exist within the gay community. Wait, don’t stop, blacks can be racist, women can be misogynists, and jews anti-semetic. Wow. My view of the world has just totally shifted.
JoeyRamone
Donston, you are such a sharp, incisive dude. Pearls of earth-shattering wisdom with every utterance. I can’t breathe. Really, how do you manage it!
JoeyRamone
Their #metoo moments. Lol. Really? Is that a line of Hallmark Cards.
Donston
Maybe the fact that he surrounds himself with a bunch of closet case Republicans has a lil’ something to do with that perspective.
There’s a ton of pressure on gay cis men to “reach out” and be supportive of every “marginalized” group when most non social media obsessed people in general are just trying to live their lives without causing much fray. The “queer media” hyper focuses on misogyny, effemiphobia and toxic masculinity, which are all very real things, but they still widely ignore the self-misandry, internalized homophobia and hetero worship that are just as problematic among a good percentage of gay/homo-leaning men. While Sims being dismissive towards men sharing their experiences with rape, molestation, assualt and/or harrassment reflect that he’s contending with at least one of those things. I just ask for the bigger picture to be examined rather than to continue to push individual agenda and certain sociological trends.
When you have men out here saying they’re not gay because they have female friends it’s apparent there’s some big sociological and psychological issues going on from within. And every aspect needs to be looked at.
jpcolter
Every time this guy opens his mouth lately, something stupid comes out.
Lacuevaman
amen brother…. vapid sissy queens dont give a s**t about anyone but themselves. there was a reason for the “closet”.
Donston
So, you support his opinion by spewing effemiphobic, closet supporting nonsense, failing to realize that Brian is not only out but is one those “sissy queens” that you resent. Yes, just because he’s got a beard doesn’t mean he’s not a “sissy queen”. He’s also said some hateful and dismissive things about gay men and men in general in the past. So, neither you nor him are legit allies to anyone but yourself.
DCguy
Hey Queerty / Cylest. When one of the accounts that routinely supports anti-lgbt bigotry is THIS obvious isn’t it time to screen?
draven
Paris Jackson bi is “lie” for gay.
JoeyRamone
Your a fool
djmcgamester
He does specify that the misogyny comes from the closeted gays, not gay men in general. I could be wrong, but I don’t see gay men typically being anti-women. At least, I’m not. Can’t really speak for anyone else.
Now, I don’t think everything has to be about everything. I laughed at the idea of adding brown and black stripes to the rainbow flag for reasons of inclusivity. We don’t actually have green or blue people so the flag already represents everyone. I got flack for saying that.
I do get that there are marginalized groups other than gays. I’m sympathetic to them. I’m also aware of my own internal feelings about said groups but that doesn’t mean it dictates my behavior.
Also, I don’t know if my mother was special in this regard, but she let no one push her around. And, no, she wasn’t superior to my father. They were equal partners. It sucks that we live in a world full of victims these days. You know who wasn’t a victim of homophobia? Me. Not from family, friends, co-workers, whatever. I was publicly out to everyone, at the world around me, in 1992. I didn’t live in a large city at the time. I suppose I could have been a victim but it’s not my story. I wish more people would stop being victims. Just stand up for yourself. I know not everyone can do so on their own, but reach out for help. With the internet that’s easier than ever.
DCguy
No he doesn’t, he says it comes from “Gay men” not Closeted gay men….
“Some of the most intense misogyny I see towards women comes from gay men.”
JAW
Brian is quoted as saying… “some of the most intense misogyny against women hails from gay men”
He should have also added… that some of the intense Misandry most against men comes from Lesbians.
It works both ways.
Try and go into a Lesbian Bar if you are male.
Many Lesbians also do not want to have anything to do with their Trans Sisters.
Very sad.
Donston
Misogyny, misandry, self-misogyny, self-misandry are all prevalent, come from all different demos and exists for many different reasons. Within the “queer community” there’s too much focus on hyper criticizing gay men and telling them how they should think and who they should support. While many women want nothing to do with gay men unless they kiss their asses and stay at their bank and call. I had to drop a couple female friends in my lifetime because of that. That’s also biggest catalyst for why I broke up with my last gf (besides, you know, being romantically and sexually really into dudes).
What I’m saying is that these are all complicated, convoluted issues that can’t be whittled down to one factor or demo. And ultimately, Brian Sims has said and done too many problematic, incendiary and attention whoring things to be the voice for any group.
Donston
Furthermore, there are plenty of bi/pan/fluid/queer/etc. identifying people who seem to resent women or men or gay men or lesbians or trans people. Just as there’s a decent amount of trans people who seem to resent gay men and lesbians. Nevermind the classic misogyny from a decent percentage of hetero dudes. And so on. I’m a lil’ exhausted with people continuing to pretend that all gay men are the same, live the same lives, covet the same things and the constant finger wagging that persists at the demo as a whole.
In general, there’s a lot that needs to be discussed and dived into, and people need to stop allowing their sociology or their own sense of self or their own individual experiences to dictate how they feel about entire groups of people.
SpacemanSpiff
Misogyny: hatred of women. Not disagreeing with a woman, or calling a particular woman out for being passive-aggressive, acting entitled, espousing double standards, prioritizing feelings over facts etc. but an expressed hatred of all women. So, let’s see actual examples of this alleged intense misogyny from closeted gay men.
DCguy
What have we learned here. We’ve not only learned that Rep. Brian Sims pals around with a group of anti-LGBTQ closeted men who introduce legislation intended to harm the LGBT community. But that he is also protecting them allowing them to do increasing damage.
Additionally, we now see that he has internalized the 1950s narrative recently resurrected by the right wing to use as a wedge that “Gay men hate women”.
If Sims is so insecure that he cannot be around homophobia without succumbing to it perhaps he needs to stop palling around with self hating, anti-lgbt bigots.
Lacuevaman
We’ve learned you’re an idiot.
Donston
His “I like to be in environments where I know there’s homophobia” does seem like code for “I don’t want to be around non-closeted gay men”.
There are a lot of people who claim to be out and “proud” who are still contending with some stuff, and that “stuff” unusually bubbles to the surface with idiotic, broadstroking comments. Or maybe he’s just doing politician stuff. Some guys think that showing resentment towards men will make them appeal more to women. Maybe he’s desperately trying to appeal to female voters and think this is the way to go about it. Ultimately, telling us that the closet cases he likes to hang out with hate women or that men shouldn’t express their own dealings with rape, assualt, harrassment don’t do either men nor women any good.
DCguy
@Lacuevaman
Awww, look how upset the anti-LGBT troll account gets when somebody points out bigotry. Look at the little troll lashing out because it doesn’t know which words to use….just like Trump.
I would think Putin could afford better trolls. Then again, he couldn’t afford a better president.