Ohio Republican Josh Mandel may not like transgender women, but he's got no problem doing drag. Photo: Composite
Republican Josh Mandel can’t stop obsessing about transgender people and pronouns. The perennial candidate and former state treasurer is making the issues two of his primary campaign issues.
This time around, he decided to demean trans women with a slur while touting Dave Chappelle’s controversial comedy special for Netflix and the subsequent fallout.
Related: Lauren Boebert says including LGBTQ parents is a plot to “get rid of parents all together”
“Just watched the Chappelle special,” he tweeted. “Was hilarious and offensive to all — as comedy should be. Lighten up transies [sic] — Chappelle is the GOAT.”
Just watched the Chappelle special. Was hilarious and offensive to all — as comedy should be. Lighten up transies — Chappelle is the GOAT. https://t.co/bQUTqrUbWt — Josh Mandel (@JoshMandelOhio) October 20, 2021
The internet being what it is, the responses to his tweet were sharp, but user Robert Schmad took it a step further.
“Trans icon Josh Mandel,” he tweeted in response along with a photo of Mandel in drag wearing a stuffed sports bra and a wig.
The homophobic candidate is pictured giving another student a backrub in the weight room. The photo comes from Mandel’s high school yearbook.
Our sister site, Queerty, reports that the photo first surfaced in 2012 “when Mandel was Ohio’s state treasurer and a GOP candidate for the U.S. Senate. At the time, his communications director said the candidate had no recollection of taking the photo, but that he was probably just ‘joking around’.”
Earlier this month, Mandel – who was once denounced by his own family for rejecting his lesbian, veteran cousin – was kicked out of a school board meeting by sheriff’s officers on Monday when he took to the mic to rant about transgender kids in schools… in a school district he doesn’t even live in.
trans icon josh mandel pic.twitter.com/FFRn0HetjJ — robert schmad (@RobertSchmad) October 20, 2021
SENATE even!! — Ima Lincoln-Lib (@ImaLincolnLib) October 20, 2021
The only reason Nazi Josh would ever watch Dave Chappelle, is if Chappelle was attacking blacks, Muslims, immigrants, or the LGBTQ communities. Nobody normal calls them transies. But, Josh ain’t normal. — Science always wins. Regardless of your desire. (@SenateTim) October 20, 2021
Sums up the GOP as well. — Jerry Mander (@GOPproblemkid) October 20, 2021
ravinald on October 23rd, 2021 at 01:56 UTC »
Oh nice. I took that photo and was in Josh's graduating class. It's nice to see it come up again especially for this reason.
NewHaven86 on October 22nd, 2021 at 19:15 UTC »
God I love the internet's commitment to giving people the middle finger sometimes.
Makememak on October 22nd, 2021 at 19:04 UTC »
How are people like him gainfully employed?