An image of JD Vance allegedly dressed as a woman and wearing a blonde wig was posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, on Sunday. The unconfirmed image quickly picked up steam and began trending under the hashtag #SofaLoren, a reference to the iconic Italian actress Sophia Loren and false claims that the Republican senator had sex with a couch.
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Many commenters online connected Vance’s alleged history of cross-dressing with his legislative history—which has long been a point of concern for LGBTQ+ advocacy groups.
The Ohio senator introduced the “Protect Children’s Innocence Act,” which aims to criminalize medical institutions that provide gender-affirming care to minors.
The Republican vice presidential pick also supports measures to limit classroom discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity, and labeled critics of so-called “don’t say gay” legislation “groomers.”
While I understand we want to point out and ridicule hypocrisy, let’s not make this a thing please? Trans folks in this country get enough shit without Democrats piling on too.
It’s more in the lines of “man outraged by people challenging gender norms cross dresses for fun; is hypocrite”.
It’s not the outfit we take issue with here. It’s the hypocrisy.
I don’t think “it’s hypocritical” is a good argument morally or strategically with these things.
The issue isn’t his hypocrisy, it’s “see? You clearly know this is fine. You all know this drag obsession is bullshit.”
Yeah, that is the hypocrisy that is being pointed out.
Snooggums we sometimes disagree but i honestly expected you of all people to be smart enough/not-subject-to-internet-argument-tunnel-vision enough to see the nuance here.
Both parties play the hypocrisy game, it doesn’t convince anyone. This is distinct even if it feels similar.
You are stating the literal hypocrisy and saying it isn’t hypocrisy. I have no idea what nuance you are saying is there.
Pointing out hypocrisy is actually fairly effective with uninformed people. If they have only a passing interest in JD couch molester, but are made aware of his anti-trans/drag legislation at the same time they find out he was cool doing it himself, they will be likely to not believe his bullshit in the future. No, it won’t swing his base who are already on the cognitive dissonance express, but it might help motivate someone on the fence to get out and vote against him.
The issue is this: hypocrisy is a very surface level complaint. It’s why no one cares about it besides the people complaining about hypocrisy. The hypocrite and their allies do not give a shit. Do any of us give a shit that Republicans calls anyone not-republican hypocrites everyday? No. We hand wave it away and could not care less. We declare the accusation in bad faith and move on.
What Vance did removes the teeth of their major current social argument: that not conforming to ones gender/gender roles makes one a “sexual deviant.” What he did was also in the past, he’s not currently doing it (most likely). So they can easily say “he was young and stupid this isn’t hypocrisy.” But the LARGER issue is his dressing like that meant nothing at all. It represented nothing dark or wrong about him. He did it for fun and that’s ok even if he refuses to acknowledge it.
This is distinct from saying “the issue is he’s a hypocrite” and frankly I think far more impactful. Hypocrisy on its own doesn’t mean much other than you’re an inconsistent person (ignorant or on purpose), which no one honestly cares about outside of close, personal relationships.
The ‘rules for thee but not for me’ kind of hypocrisy is extremely important.
Dude come on the whole point is to who? No one gives a shit! The issue is his dressing like that does not matter regardless of his position or that of the GOP. That photo is only significant because his party acts like it’s indicative of someone being a pedophile. We need non-weird people to see that. That’s the significance. I know you know what I’m saying.
Yes it’s hypocritical. You keep acting like I’m saying it’s not hypocritical, that’s not what I’m saying. I’m saying that is not what’s important here. Calling out hypocrisy in political campaigns is masturbatory, it’s to rile up people who already agree with you. The issue is how drag has been weaponized needlessly. Call attention to that.
Edit: forget it this is pointless clearly. Truly expected people on lemmy to see the issue here but clearly this thread is not the place where I’ll find those people.
Make your print more effectively if you want us to understand.
The typo does make this kind of funny ngl. But I won’t be a dick and hide behind it.
Anyway the issue is this: hypocrisy is a very surface level complaint. It’s why no one cares about it besides the people complaining about hypocrisy. The hypocrite and their allies do not give a shit. Do any of us give a shit that Republicans calls anyone not-republican hypocrites everyday? No. We hand wave it away and could not care less. We declare the accusation in bad faith and move on.
What Vance did removes the teeth of their major current social argument: that not conforming to ones gender/gender roles makes one a “sexual deviant.” What he did was also in the past, he’s not currently doing it (most likely). So they can easily say “he was young and stupid this isn’t hypocrisy.” But the LARGER issue is his dressing like that meant nothing at all. It represented nothing dark or wrong about him. He did it for fun and that’s ok even if he refuses to acknowledge it.
This is distinct from saying “the issue is he’s a hypocrite” and frankly I think far more impactful. Hypocrisy on its own doesn’t mean much other than you’re an inconsistent person (ignorant or on purpose), which no one honestly cares about outside of close, personal relationships.
But hypocrisy is the point. No one’s mocking him just for wearing drag, just like no one criticizes gop voters solely for getting abortions. The criticism stems from the hypocrisy, not the act itself.
Drag and trans are different things.
Yeah it’s a mood when somebody trying to cape for you misunderstands who you are.
Oh hi. I’m actually trans. I’ve already been beat over the head by conservative relatives with “see even democrats think trans folks are stupid”. Which is why I posted the original comment.
The way I see it, it needs to be made a thing. It’s okay to be trans, it’s okay to dress in drag, it’s not okay to do it while you’re a homo/transphobe. That’s very much like the LGBTQ+ equivalent of cultural appropriation.
Plus I’m tired of the hypocrisy. If they’re okay with us having to endure being called slurs, he deserves to go through the same. We will stop if and once they say “please stop, it’s okay to be gay”.
This isn’t making fun of individuals who identify as trans or appreciate drag/drag culture.
This is specifically making fun of an idiot conservative who is the embodiment of what his party hates. Just like I wouldn’t make fun of someone for being gay, I’m still going to make fun of a politician who enjoys trying to have sex with random men in airport bathrooms.
My man, you’re missing the point. The ridicule has been well earned and undermines their bullshit views. More importantly, it undermines their bullshit policies, since Harris is going to wreck shit. I ain’t downvote you, btw.
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What does TD Vance, well known couch fucker wearing drag have to do with trans people?
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I agree with this sentiment on a lot of political attacks - especially ones about physical characteristics or things a person can’t control - but in this case I see it used more as “see? This is fine. He clearly thought it was fine too and now he acts like this makes people automatically pedophiles. What the hell is that about?”
People hand wave the others with “hypocrisy” which I don’t think is enough, but this? It’s not the hypocrisy (and those in this thread saying it are actually missing why this is significant/are piling on for the wrong reasons). It’s “this is a totally fine thing to do yet you and your party have decided it isn’t even when you did it yourself for fun.
He did nothing wrong dressing like that, yet he now insists it is wrong.
What do you think hypocrisy is, if not this? Because this is the textbook definition of hypocrisy.
Where did I say this wasn’t hypocritical?
I don’t think anyone is really clear what you’re saying, even though we seem to be on the same side. You seem to be suggesting that the hypocrisy isn’t the real problem, it’s that he once did this thing and now claims that it’s wrong for others to do it. And that’s literally the textbook definition of hypocrisy: the practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one’s own behavior does not conform.
JD Vance claims dressing in drag is morally wrong yet he himself has dressed in drag in the past. That makes him a hypocrite. That’s the hypocrisy that people are pointing out. I don’t know what counter-argument you’re trying to put forward.
I explained it thoroughly in two comments. You get it or you don’t, I’m done.
One last thing though: that’s not drag.
So is you point that pointing out hypocrisy isn’t enough?
I would disagree in part, but that would make way more sense if that’s what you’ve been trying to say.
I think the hypocrisy isn’t what matters so much as all the other stuff I’ve explained. People are missing what makes this distinct and why it matters. I’ve explained my stance pretty thoroughly at this point.