TL;DR
- Gavin Newsom’s press office makes homophobic jabs on social media.
- Recent posts mock opponents with Grindr references.
- Newsom’s anti-LGBTQ+ policies raise concerns among activists.
- Calls for respect for the LGBTQ+ community grow louder.
- Critics highlight Newsom’s betrayal of queer Californians.
It’s 2026, and yet here we are, watching California Governor Gavin Newsom dig himself a deeper hole with his cringe-worthy comments that can only be described as bizarrely anti-LGBTQ+. Seriously, what’s going on with this guy? Newsom, who has previously strutted around like a proud LGBTQ+ ally, seems to have taken a sharp turn into the land of homophobic humor, and it’s not a good look.
His press office has been posting some questionable content on social media, channeling a bizarre mix of Donald Trump’s bombastic style and some seriously outdated jokes. Just the other day, they quote-tweeted a right-wing commentator, Benny Johnson, saying, “We’ll make sure Grindr servers are ready…” as if that’s a clever comeback. Newsom’s team has been at it again, with another post stating, “We got a call from Grindr after this and said your team was their biggest users. Congrats!”
Let’s just pause for a moment to appreciate how utterly ridiculous it is that in 2026, we still have to remind people that using someone’s sexuality as an insult is not just bad taste, it’s downright harmful. Newsom, a former mayor of San Francisco, should know better, especially as he’s been increasingly promoting anti-trans talking points. Remember when he invited right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk onto his podcast? Newsom nodded along when Kirk suggested that Democrats should condemn trans athletes competing in sports, saying, “I think it’s an issue of fairness, I completely agree with you on that. It is an issue of fairness — it’s deeply unfair.”
This kind of rhetoric isn’t just talk; it has real-world consequences. Newsom’s comments have been used to support legislation that restricts trans girls from participating in sports, and that’s a slippery slope we can’t afford to slide down. Let’s not forget his decision to cut $40 million from the California Department of Public Health’s Office of Health Equity, which funds crucial programs for LGBTQ+ youth and trans individuals. The backlash was swift, with the Los Angeles LGBT Center calling it “a betrayal of queer and trans Californians.”
https://x.com/GovPressOffice/status/2037288346091692044
And if you thought that was bad, in 2023, Newsom vetoed a bill that would have required family court judges to consider a parent’s acceptance of their trans kids in custody decisions. Talk about kicking the community when it’s down. Even if he was the LGBTQ+ champion he pretends to be, these jokes would still be cringey, but the fact that he’s far from that champion makes it even worse.
As homophobia and transphobia creep back into the mainstream, we need leaders who uplift the LGBTQ+ community, not make them the punchline of a joke. Newsom’s antics are a reminder that the fight for equality is ongoing, and we can’t afford to let our allies slip into the realm of harmful humor. So, let’s keep the pressure on and demand respect for all, because the last thing we need is for LGBTQ+ identities to become fodder for political banter.