Kentucky state representative doubles-down after calling LGBTQ community ‘a disease’

A Kentucky lawmaker is under fire for writing that the “LGBTQI+ community is a disease” — but he’s not backing down from his remarks.

The comments were made in the description of a video podcast posted to YouTube Tuesday on the account of Rep. Josh Calloway, R-Irvington, discussing the recent controversy surrounding Target’s Pride swimwear collection.

As the comment gained traction on social media and was called out as harmful by activists, Calloway didn’t budge.

“The fact is that LGBTQIA+ and gender ideology is spreading on social media as a social contagion and targeting confused children,” he wrote in a social media post. “I am amazed at the hypocrisy of people who promote genital mutilation, chemical castration, and the murder of unborn babies, yet ‘clutch their pearls’ when they read a description posted on YouTube by my video producer.”

Target has been at the center of a right-wing firestorm in recent days as the false claim that the retailer is selling “tuck-friendly” swimwear to children has gained traction. According to the Associated Press, the “tuck-friendly” garments are for adults and not sold in children’s sizes.

Calloway, a two-term state representative, has quickly gained a reputation as one of the legislature’s most socially conservative lawmakers. Calloway has said that being gay or trans is a choice, attempted to revive a drag show ban during the 2023 General Assembly and called for the ouster of the state education commissioner over LGBTQ-inclusive stances. Calloway was stripped of two committee assignments at the end of the legislative session in March, a move some have suggested is “retaliation” for challenging House leadership.

The 2023 General Assembly, which was controlled by the Republican supermajority in both the House and Senate, saw a heavy emphasis on fighting “woke” issues, including the passage of Senate Bill 150, which bans gender-affirming care for trans youth.

When reviewed by The Herald-Leader Wednesday morning, the description for the more than hour-long video had been edited to remove the “disease” comments and instead said “The Trans Mind is Mutating.”

Calloway continued to defend his position Wednesday morning with additional Twitter posts about Target.

Michael Frazier, a gay man and Republican operative, responded to Calloway’s remarks, writing on Twitter, “I know your heart and you didn’t show it in this statement.”

“I’ve seen the future of party and it’s not the words presented by Rep. Calloway. In fact, when speaking to young republicans, #LGBT is number one issue for why young people leave our party,” he wrote. “Language like this only inflames and dooms our future. We might be appealing to a certain base but only on borrowed time. We must think look to the future.”

The Kentucky Democratic Party also called out the “hateful” comments.

“LGBTQ+ Kentuckians are citizens of our Commonwealth, yes, even in Josh Calloway’s district,” KDP Chair Colmon Elridge said in a statement. “And we need to stand up against any attempts to erase members of our community. Reckless policies and words by extreme politicians in Frankfort have potentially deadly consequences, making these comments inexcusably dangerous. Kentuckians deserve better.”

Rebecca Blankenship, executive director of Ban Conversion Therapy Kentucky, also called on Calloway to retract his “reprehensible” remark.

“He has friends and colleagues who are a part of that community who are deeply hurt by dehumanizing language like this,” Blankenship said in a statement. “He has a good heart, and he should put it to kinder purposes — beginning with an unequivocal apology.”

In response to Calloway’s claims that people are promoting “genital mutilation” of children, Blankenship noted that “every pro-LGBT advocacy organization in Kentucky made clear that we do not oppose limiting gender-affirming surgeries to adults only.”