When I first heard about J.D. Vance, the Appalachian LARPer and Republican candidate for Vice President, I didn’t think we had anything in common. However, recent news reports have shed light on surprising similarities between us. It turns out that Vance lives in a gayborhood in the D.C. area and even brought baked goods to a trans friend after their top surgery.
According to a report by The Washington Post last week, Ohio Senator JD Vance resides in Del Ray, a liberal neighborhood in Alexandria, Virginia. The area was once nominated for the title of “Best Gayborhood” in the Washington D.C. region. Public property records reviewed by the Washington Blade reveal that Vance bought his house for $1.6 million in the previous year. His residence is situated adjacent to Vernon Avenue, Del Ray’s primary commercial street, which is home to Pride On the Avenue, a pop-up gay bar.
According to Bill Blackburn, one of the co-owners of the bar, Del Ray saw a significant influx of gay residents in the 1990s. Blackburn shared with the LGBTQ+ publication that “Del Ray was kind of gentrified by a lot of the gay community in the ’90s.” He also noted how the neighborhood has evolved and become highly desirable, even attracting right-wing Republicans. Vance, the individual responsible for the homophobic incident, reportedly resides only a short distance from Pride On The Avenue, with Blackburn mentioning that he lives “like a hundred yards away.”
It’s ironic that Vance, who is known for his unwavering support for anti-LGBTQ+ policies, has been the focus of a Pride protest. He has shown opposition to the Respect for Marriage Act and even introduced legislation that would criminalize providing gender-affirming surgery to trans minors. Unfortunately, he has also referred to LGBTQ+ individuals and their allies as “groomers.” Last year, after Vance purchased a home in Del Ray, an anonymous artist in the community “yarn-bombed” the property with handmade Pride flags, rainbow hearts, and a message that reads “Respect Our Rights.” These adornments were hung on a utility pole outside the residence.
In his bid for a second term, Trump has pledged to take action against what he calls “radical gender ideology” in schools and has vowed to maintain separation between men’s and women’s sports. He has outlined these policy proposals in a video series called Agenda47 on his campaign website. Trump has also proposed banning gender-affirming care for transgender youth and rolling back Title IX protections for transgender students. Additionally, he has promised to cut funding for schools that promote what he views as inappropriate content related to race, gender, or politics.
