Republican State Sen. Phillip Wheeler of Kentucky is ignoring calls for his resignation after he made homophobic remarks against Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear for posing with a gaggle of drag queens during an LGBTQ rally at the state Capitol.
At a campaign rally for GOP Rep.-elect Richard White last weekend, Wheeler held up a photo on his cell phone of Beshear and a group of Derby City Sisters, the local chapter of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.
“This is what our Democratic governor is about today,” Wheeler told the crowd. “Take a look, these are the values the Democratic Party of today is out there trying to convince our children is the right way to live.”
“Ladies and gentleman,” he continued, “this is not only a fight for the soul of America. It is a fight against evil, for just the forces of decency.”
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“I would have never thought that there would be a day when we have people dressed in devil horns, celebrating with our governor in our beautiful Capitol … a place with much religious imagery, and yet we have a governor that celebrates it being defiled.”
Posted by Richard White on Saturday, February 22, 2020
A backlash ensued. Now, many Democrats are calling on Wheeler to resign.
Speaking to the Lexington Herald-Leader, Wheeler insisted his comments were not homophobic and he has “no problem” with gay people. In fact, one of his relatives is gay!
“I have no problem with LGBT people being around children,” he insisted. “I love my [relative], I let him be around my children. If he came around my children dressed like that, I’d rethink my choice.”
What he was upset about were the queens’ costumes, which included devil horns and a KFC bucket repurposed into a nun’s habit.
“If they’re going to mock the Christian religion, I’m not interested in having a discussion with them,” Wheeler said. “They’re not going to convince me that it’s appropriate.”
“We expect a certain amount of decency and decorum in our Capitol.”
Meanwhile, Gov. Beshear is defending the photo and says Wheeler’s comments were, without a doubt, homophobic.
“They were absolutely homophobic,” he Beshear said. “I don’t think he is the fashion police for the Capitol. I believe he owes each and every one of them an apology. They’re as much Kentuckians as anybody else.”
And Marisa McNee, spokeswoman for Kentucky Democrats, called Wheeler an “embarrassment” to the state of Kentucky and called for him to immediately resign for making such “hateful, ignorant comments.”
drmiller
I’m sorry, but this is hilarious. How can one person feel so threatened by a couple of drag queens hahaha? They’re harmless!! Good grief, this just goes to show how wrapped up in religion people are, this guy has absolutely NO idea what he is talking about. It’s honestly laughable.
Prax07
The guy gives the word shitstain a bad name.
bowlingbutch
The guy is obviously closeted. And how “Christian” of him to allow his one gay relative to be around his children. He probably has a box of women’s undies and models them when his wife isn’t home.
Miles Crown
I was thinking diapers. Looks like he might be wearing them.
Miles Crown
Deplorables doubling down. This country is so deeply f*cked.
Roy Moss
It’s Kentucky, why would anyone expect anything different?
Hdtex
He’s just mad that he’ll never be fabulous
Mack
Betcha the same guy appeared in “blackface” in college. Just wait, it’ll come out.
scotty
if you could reason with relgious people, there would be no religious people.
Dewey
Guess he has a nervous breakdown at Halloween.
eeebee333
I don’t agree with the guy, but why should he resign just for expressing an unpopular opinion?
Felecia
If the only thing that back-water collection of Hatfield & McCoy descendants called ‘Kentucky’ did was COMPLAIN about a bunch of drag queens, instead of calling for a long lynching rope and a bible….I figure we’re ahead of the game, and REALLY have arrived….lol. As for this assh*le who has a problem with it; I’d be a bit more careful when pissing off big men in spike-heels, my friend…but an unpopular opinion is STILL an opinion, and the last time I looked we all are allowed one or two here in America. He’s an idiot; ignore him and feel sorry for his wife and kids, but firing him, no. We need jerks like that to keep reminding people just how stupid the bigots can be and are, right here in 2020….
Jim
While the Senator truly defiles the capitol with his hate a bigotry.