California Governor Gavin Newsom is facing criticism from LGBTQ+ advocates after his news outlet used Grinder as the punchline in a post targeting conservative commentator Benny Johnson. This is the latest controversy for the governor, who is widely seen as hinting at a possible 2028 presidential bid.
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The backlash comes amid growing unease among LGBTQ+ leaders over Newsom’s recent comments calling for Democrats to be more “culturally normal” and spend less time on “pronouns” and “identity politics,” which critics say reflects language that has historically been used to marginalize LGBTQ+ people.
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what happened
The controversy stems from a series of social media posts by Newsom’s news department during an ongoing dispute with Johnson.
In January, after Mr. Johnson said he was planning to travel to California to investigate the fraud allegations, Mr. Newsom’s office responded, “We will check to see if the Grindr servers are ready…”
Last week, the exchange escalated again, with Newsom’s office replying to a post about Johnson’s TV appearance saying, “Grindle called me after this and said your team is their biggest user. Congratulations!”
The March post brings new attention to an earlier message. In August, Newsom’s news organization also responded to the conservative rapper, saying, “Dude, I get that, but he’s not interested…Stick to Grindle.”
The post spread widely.
Why critics say it matters
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For many LGBTQ+ observers, this problem is one of influence rather than design.
If being on Grindr is the punchline, critics say the joke relies on the premise that being gay is shameful and shameful, reinforcing the stigma at a time when LGBTQ+ people, especially transgender Americans, are at the center of national political struggles.
lighter they claimed They noted that Grindr’s references amounted to “calling people gay as an insult” and “regardless of who said it, it’s still bad.”
The criticism is sharpened by Newsom’s history. As mayor of San Francisco, he issued thousands of same-sex marriage licenses in 2004 and helped fuel a national movement that culminated in Obergefell v. Hodges. For critics, that legacy is currently in an uneasy tension with rhetoric they see as reflecting old, disparaging tropes.
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In a recent interview with journalist Katie Couric, Newsom faced criticism from transgender advocates who feel he is “throwing transgender people under the bus” and treating them as a political liability. Newsom rejected that characterization, citing his track record of signing some of the nation’s most sweeping transgender rights laws and reiterating concerns about fairness in competitive sports.
The exchange followed criticism from the California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus over his comments about “cultural normality” and pronouns.
Source: Advocate.com – www.advocate.com
