5 prominent LGBT Republicans and their politics – from Peter Thiel to Caitlyn Jenner

Jun 16 , 2024

Some Republicans are also part of the LGBT community, such as Caitlyn Jenner, Peter Thiel and Lady MAGA USA. Photos: AFP, Getty Images, X

Billionaire PayPal co-founder Thiel won’t donate to Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign, while Kardashians star Jenner flip-flopped on her support

The June 1969 Stonewall Riots in Manhattan, US, have been credited as “sparking the gay revolution”. At the time, homosexual acts were illegal in most states in the US. After police tried to arrest LGBTQ+ patrons at the Stonewall Inn near Greenwich Village, they resisted, prompting days of protests. Now, every year, June is Pride Month, a celebration of the LGBTQ+ community.

As the November US election approaches, it’s no surprise that the focus has turned to LGBTQ+ rights. At least 25 states across the US have banned gender-affirming care for children. The bans are results of Republican-led legislatures and have spiralled to include bills to control which pronouns children can use and efforts to restrict some books and school curricula.

Amid what many have labelled as an “attack” on LGBTQ+ rights, some Republicans who are also members of the LGBTQ+ community continue to remain loyal to their conservative views. From drag queens to political strategists, these LGBTQ+ Republicans may not be Trump fans, but they remain Republican to the core.

1. Sarah Longwell, political strategist

Sarah Longwell is an outspoken critic of Donald Trump. Photo: @SarahLongwell25/Instagram

In 2002, after graduating from Kenyon College, Ohio, Sarah Longwell came out to her family. Per The New Yorker, she married her long-time girlfriend in 2013 and said she “got comfortable” with “everyone being mad at you”, referring to her being a conservative Republican and lesbian simultaneously.

Although she identifies as Republican, Longwell has been fiercely outspoken over her opposition to former US president and recently convicted felon Trump, and was involved in projects including Republican Voters Against Trump and Republicans for the Rule of Law.

Longwell is the co-founder of Defending Democracy Together, an organisation aimed at highlighting Trump’s failures through the stories of people who identify as being Republican, were Republican and who are still Republican.

Longwell made history when she was announced as the first female national board chair of the Log Cabin Republicans, a Republican Party-linked group which aims to “represent LGBT conservatives and allies”.

2. Lady MAGA USA (aka Ryan Woods), costume designer/drag queen

Ryan Woods, aka Lady MAGA USA, wants to prove that “anyone can be a patriot”. Photo: @LadyMagaUSA/X

Ryan Woods, a gay man from Utah, became well-known in Republican circles in 2020 for his drag queen character Lady MAGA USA. Woods, a former Mormon and ex-Democrat, wanted to show that “anyone can be a patriot”, per Rolling Stone, and to bring “sparkle” to the conservative movement.