# days since the last prominent homophobe was caught in a gay sex scandal:
Latest winner: Dr. Melvyn Iscove, March 9, 2018
"Gay conversion" therapist suspended (pending penalty hearing) for sexually abusing his patients. Denies charges through lawyer.
35 previous winners (avg days held: 125)
| Pic | Name | Date | Days held: | Reaction to outing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
OK. Sen. Ralph Shortey (R) | March 16, 2017 | 358 | Charged with three felonies for soliciting a teenaged male prostitute, pled guilty to child sex trafficking to get child porn charges dropped; resigned after being suspended; body cam & interrogation video released |
 |
Bp. Kevin Kanouse (ELCA) | July 27, 2015 | 598 |  came out voluntarily to Evangelical Youth Gathering |
 |
Rep. Dennis Hastert (R) | June 5, 2015 | 52 | indicted (and convicted in part) for felony bank fraud related to hush money to former male high school student, accused by sister of 2nd victim |
 |
N.D. Rep. Randy Boehning (R) | April 27, 2015 | 39 |  outed on Grindr after voting against anti-discrimination bill; acknowledged it was him |
 |
Frazier Glenn Cross (KKK/WPP) | April 24, 2014 | 368 | arrested for JCC shootings, unrelated to reported rape of male prostitute |
 |
Javier Suárez Pascagaza | November 10, 2013 | 166 | leading Columbian gay marriage opponent outed, doesn't deny when asked |
 |
Alan Chambers (EI) | June 20, 2013 | 143 | "ex-gay" ministry leader formally apologized for damage done by Exodus |
 |
John Paulk (ex LWO) | April 24, 2013 | 57 |
former "ex-gay" spokesman came out against "ex-gay movement"
|
 |
Cardinal Keith O'Brien (RC) | Feb 23, 2013 | 60 | anti-gay cardinal "used night prayers as an excuse for inappropriate contact" with subordinates; forced to resign by retiring pope, initial denials followed by confession |
 |
Ryan J. Muehlhauser | Nov 8, 2012 | 107 | "ex-gay" counseling pastor charged with sexually assaulting clients |
 |
MO. Rep. Zach Wyatt (R) | May 2, 2012 | 188 |
came out voluntarily to oppose "Don't Say Gay" bill; in office until 2013, withdrew from re-election to study marine biology |
 |
Jeremy Marks (C UK) | April 20, 2012 | 12 |
came out voluntarily, now advocating ex-ex-gay |
 |
Kathryn Lehman (R) | March 28th, 2012 | 23 |
came out voluntarily, now advocating repeal of anti-gay law she helped write |
 |
Sheriff Paul Babeu (R) | February 16, 2012 | 43 | came out and spoke in favor of same-sex marriage after threatened ex-boyfriend got a lawyer |
 |
Michael Berry | February 15, 2012 | 1 | deleted Twitter & Facebook accounts |
 |
Mayor Greg Davis (R) | December 16, 2011 | 60 | came out after ironic audit showed city paid for gay sex shop purchase |
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John Smid (ex LIA) | October 11, 2011 | 65 | came out voluntarily, now advocating ex-ex-gay |
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Msgr. Ian Dempsey (RC) | Sept. 15, 2011 | 26 | denied wrongdoing, victim under confessional gag order |
 |
Rev. Markku Koivisto (Lu) | Sept. 11, 2011 | 4 | resigned, admitted homosexual infidelity |
 |
Sen. Roberto Arango (R / NPP) | Aug. 29, 2011 | 13 | resigned, denial: "documenting weight loss"; came out 2.5 years later |
 |
Rep. Philip Hinkle (R) | Aug. 12, 2011 | 17 | stayed in office 1 year; didn't run for reelection |
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Rev. Albert Odulele (GHIP) | March 31, 2011 | 133 | religously conflicted, pled guilty, served 4 months in prison |
 |
Rev. Eddie Long (NBMBC) | Sept. 21, 2010 | 191 | denial |
 |
Chm. Ken Mehlman (R) | Aug. 26, 2010 | 26 | came out voluntarily, resigned, now advocating for gay rights |
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Rev. George Rekers (SBC) | May 4, 2010 | 113 | resigned, denial: "lifting luggage" |
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Sen. Roy Ashburn (R) | March 9, 2010 | 56 | came out voluntarily, now advocating for gay rights |
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CoS Mark Buse (R) | Sept. 22, 2008 | 534 | no response to outing; worked for anti-gay McCain until 2012 |
 |
Glenn Murphy, Jr. (R) | Nov. 9, 2007 | 317 | resigned for "business opportunity" |
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Rep. Richard Curtis (R) | Oct. 30, 2007 | 10 | resigned, filed extortion charges |
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Rep. Bob Allen (R) | July 27, 2007 | 94 | resigned, denial: "scared into paying $20 to give fellatio" |
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Sen. Larry Craig (R) | June 11, 2007 | 46 | denial: "wide stance"; 2015: named as frequent employer of male sex workers |
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Rev. Ted Haggard (NAE) | Nov. 3, 2006 | 220 | resigned, denial: "just buying meth" |
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Rep. Mark Foley (R) | Sept. 28, 2006 | 35 | resigned, admitted via lawyer |
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Hon. James E. West (R) | May 5, 2005 | 509 | removed from office, partially admitted |
 |
Rep. David Dreier (R) | Sept. 24, 2004 | 223 | in office until 2013, mixed voting record after outing |
 |
Rep. Ed Schrock (R) | Aug. 30, 2004 | 25 | ended reelection campaign |
at least admitted it, or came out voluntarily
did a 180° change and started supporting gay rights after coming out
Why do I list people who now support gay rights? Because they used to be gay homophobes.
It's important to show both that another anti-gay person in power was hypocritical, and that people can change.
Inclusion criteria:
- had power (political, religious, or social),
- used that power anti-LGBT, and
- turned out to be a closet case.
Political/religious affiliation is not a factor.
Being a closet case who's not actively anti-gay is just sad, not hypocritical, so doesn't count.
Pedophilia isn't homosexuality, so that doesn't either.
is an organization fighting the ex-gay bullshit espoused by so many homophobic closet cases in power.
You should consider giving them a donation.
Yes, most of them are probably bi, not gay, but "biorgaypeoplewhosupportrevocationofgayrights.com" isn't quite as quippy. ;-)
We donated about $1900 to TWO, from ad revenue. (Thanks, Lee, for your help!) Ads have since been removed.
Site maintained by @gayhomophobe; please contact with info if an update is needed.
Mar 7: August 2011 winner Roberto Arango finally came out.
Feb 28: Rainbow star winner Ken Mehlman's pro-gay conservative lobby has submitted an amicus brief in the Prop 8 case, signed by almost 100 prominent Republicans. He now gets two rainbow stars for his outstanding work.
Feb 24: How sadly ironic that a cardinal who claimed that "civil partnerships … are harmful to the physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing of those involved" would cause the same to those in his care. Ah, the closet.
Nov 21: Ken Mehlman, rainbow star winner, has a new, pro-gay conservative political organization.
Nov 9: Coming-out trend couldn't last forever. Back to schadenfreude it is.
Jul 28: Yes, I heard about Jonathan Merritt. However, I'm going to have to disagree with the characterization there. First, I don't think he's really "in power"; he's a mid-level blogger with no authority over anyone. Although some of his writing supports an anti-gay agenda (e.g. a prohibition on same-sex marriage), the Chick-Fil-A piece that most people refer to doesn't really; it's more an argument for separating economic from moral decisions. Yes, he's clearly closeted and deeply conflicted about it; that's a very sad thing. I acknowledge that this is a borderline case, but I'm not comfortable promoting him to winner status for it. Thanks for the tips, regardless.
Jun 9: I saw the HuffPo story on Crist, but I don't think the source is reliable. Please email me if you find confirmation from someone other than a political opponent's lawyer. Also, LMK if you find any anti-gay policy statements on TN Comm. Ownby — I don't list people merely because they're Republican.
May 30: A journalist named José María Fernández Calleja claimed that Carlos Dívar, anti-gay head judge of the Spanish supreme court, was using government money to pay for luxury hotel visits with his boyfriend. If you can find a substantiation of this accusation (and/or response from Dívar), please email me.
May 17: Yes, I saw the Paul Cameron interview. He's against gay actions, which he's probably not doing, and not gay orientation, which he probably has. He's a bigoted fuckwit who lies about the facts, but he's not hypocritical. Sorry.
May 2: Trend it is: four in a row. Welcome out, Zach!
Apr 20: In honor of three successive rainbow stars, I've rewritten the heading. I hope it's a trend.
If you're a closeted conservative gay man or woman, there are basically two stories you can be in.
The old story: you live a life of suppressed desperation. When you get outed — and you will get outed — it's a big scandal that ruins your life. Arango, Rekers, Curtis, Allen, Craig, Haggard.
The new story: you come out voluntarily and support gay rights while retaining essentially all of your other conservative and religious beliefs. You retain support from all your existing conservative friends (except the guys who are forcing you into the closet, who aren't your friends anyway), and you gain a whole new base too. Marks, Lehman, Babeu, Smid, Mehlman, Ashburn.
Your choice.