Valentina Gomez, a Republican candidate for Missouri Secretary of State, has received some serious backlash in the News after posting slur-filled videos on social media targeting the LGBTQ+ community and transgender athletes.
Campaign and Background
Valentina Gomez is a 25-year-old real estate investor from Colombia running for the position of Missouri Secretary of State.
Drawing Attention
Known for her aggressive and inflammatory campaigning, Gomez has gained notoriety for using extreme language and actions to draw attention to her platform.
Controversial Actions
Gomez’s campaign has already been marked by numerous controversies, including a video where she burned LGBTQ-themed books and called WNBA star Brittney Griner an “unpatriotic lesbian.”
Burning Books
“This is what I will do to the grooming books when I become secretary of state. These books come from a Missouri public library. When I’m in office, they will burn,” Gomez declared in a video from February.
Outrage Over Offensive Posts
Gomez’s most recent controversy comes after posting videos where she is using anti-LGBTQ+ slurs and making disparaging remarks about transgender and gay athletes in the Olympics.
Getting Gold
Gomez said in a Thursday video that transgender athletes should get their “own category,” although she did not mince her words while conveying her message.
Making a Mockery
Gomex then went on to say, “These are the worst Olympics in history. They have made a mockery out of Christianity and women…”
Staying on Instagram
Despite multiple reports of violating community guidelines, the video has remained on Instagram, leaving many to question why such hateful speech is being allowed to remain on the platform.
Follow-Up Videos and Response
Now, in a follow-up video, Gomez boasted about the attention her previous post garnered, doubling down with more slurs and offensive language towards LGBTQ+ individuals and Hollywood.
On Billboard
Bragging about the attention she received, Gomez said she wasn’t on Billboard “because of my viral rap hit with Hi-Rez,” but because of her derogatory comments towards the trans community.
Transphobia Continued
Gomez then went on to say, “here’s something you will never be, despite all of that makeup and surgeries you do to yourself, a beautiful woman like me,” Gomez stated.
Continued Bigotry
The next day, Gomez posted another video urging people to vote for her in the next Missouri Election, claiming that she was standing up for “corrupt politicians.”
Supposedly Standing With God
Gomez said, “this hasn’t come without a price (standing up to politicians). But I’m still standing because I have God and the American people by my side.”
Community and Organizational Response
In response to these videos, a spokesperson for the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) criticized Meta’s repeated failure to protect LGBTQ users from extreme hate speech.
Hate-Peddling Accounts
“Over and over, Meta is failing to protect its LGBTQ+ users from extreme hate speech. Allowing multiple posts using this horrible slur is just the latest example of how hate-peddling accounts are emboldened to post more and more egregious attacks on LGBTQ people,” the spokesperson said.
Social Media Platform’s Role
Despite reports and clear violations of their terms of service, Meta has still not removed Gomez’s posts. Instead, it simply flagged some but left them up for “public awareness.”
Official Responses
Neither representatives for Meta nor Instagram have responded to requests for comment, with the only response seeming to be added flags to some of Gomez’s posts.
Never Okay
Despite leaving the videos up, Meta’s Community Guidelines state, “It’s never OK to attack anyone based on their gender identity or sexual orientation… We remove content that contains hate speech…”
Drag Queens’ Condemnation
Prominent drag queens like Bianca Del Rio, Shea Couleé, and Kandy Muse have already condemned Gomez’s remarks, with Del Rio mocking Gomez’s appearance and Couleé calling her “a clown and a loser.”
Clapping Back to Bitter
Responding to Gomez’s post, Bianca Del Rio called her “bitter”. The rest of the LGBTQ+ community continue to protest online about Gomez’s actions.
21 Beliefs About the Bible That Are Actually False
The Bible is one of the most discussed and debated books in history, yet many common beliefs about it are more myth than fact. How many of these misconceptions have you heard before? 21 Beliefs About the Bible That Are Actually False
21 Subtle Racisms That Are Commonplace in America
Racism in America isn’t always overt; it often hides in plain sight through subtle actions and attitudes. How many of these subtle racisms have you noticed around you? 21 Subtle Racisms That Are Commonplace in America
Only Legal in America: 21 Things You CAN’T Do in the Rest of the World
The U.S. dances to its own beat, especially when it comes to laws that make the rest of the world do a double-take. Here’s a lineup of things that scream “Only in America,” sticking strictly to what’s written in the law books. Ready for a tour through the American legal landscape that’ll leave you wondering if freedom might just be a bit too free? Only Legal in America: 21 Things You CAN’T Do in the Rest of the World
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / esfera.
