A Republican politician advocating for drag bans even though he's allegedly done drag in the past…? Groundbreaking.
Social media influencer and political commentator Matt Bernstein has resurfaced alleged photos of Donald Trump's 2024 running mate, JD Vance, in full drag. As reported by The Daily Beast, "a spokesperson for the Republican vice presidential pick did not deny the photo's authenticity when approached by The Daily Beast, and did not offer any further comment."
"I've obtained a photo of JD Vance in drag while at Yale Law School," Bernstein wrote in an Instagram story. For the grid post, Bernstein wrote: "Eyeliner origin story." Oh, and did we mention that Bernstein literally tagged Vance in the post, too?! Iconic behavior if you ask us.
Out reached out to Bernstein, who shared insightful details about their process of obtaining this alleged photo of Vance in drag.
Scroll through to read Out's interview with Matt Bernstein — who you can follow on Instagram, TikTok, X/Twitter, Threads, and YouTube. You can support Bernstein's work by subscribing to his Patreon.
How and where did you find this alleged picture of JD Vance in drag? Were you able to confirm it's JD Vance?
Bernstein: The photo initially came to me anonymously through a friend of a friend who said the photographer wanted to remain anonymous but wanted the photo to be published. Travis Whitfill (@twhitfill on X/Twitter), who is now a professor at the Yale School of Medicine but was JD's fellow student at Yale in 2012 (when the photo was taken) has since [taken] credit for the photo.
Do you think it's ironic that so many anti-drag and anti-LGBTQ+ politicians have photos and/or documented moments of them in drag?
Bernstein: I don't think it's ironic because drag is fun. I grew up entirely around straight men, and I can tell you that if they have a few drinks and are in a safe environment, they'll happily throw on a wig. There's nothing more natural than the joy that comes from exploring those routes of self-expression. That's a human impulse. What's unnatural is the push to limit and ban drag because you think voters will respond well to anti-queer rhetoric. That is a political impulse.
This upcoming election is so important. How does it feel to keep using your platform to inform your followers of all the anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric going on?
Bernstein: I think there is an idea that queer rights have deteriorated so much under a Democratic president, so how could they get worse? People are fatigued, and understandably so, with governments that aren't adequately responding to their needs. I get that. But I need people to know that under Trump and Vance, the state of queer rights can and absolutely will get worse. I don't want people to live in fear, but I do want them to know what the stakes are and act accordingly.
Your story about JD Vance 'not serving' is funny. If you were to see his dragsona on the 'Drag Race' runway and had to critique it, what would you say?
Bernstein: Everything is wrong. It's like he was asleep when Ru said, 'Let's go!' at the start of a design challenge. Everyone runs to get their materials — he woke up 10 minutes later and was stuck with scraps. But still: protect bad drag.
Meatball performs a parody of Megami's Variety Show number from 'RuPaul's Drag Race' season 16.
TikTok (@pablospinktaco); Instagram (@spiciestmeatball)
A few hours after this article was published, Bernstein shared a second alleged picture of JD Vance in drag. "A second photo has hit the inbox," the social media superstar wrote in the caption.
Bernstein's Instagram carousel highlights that a spokesperson for the Republican VP pick "did not deny the photo's authenticity" when asked by The Daily Beast. The carousel also features a collage of Vance in and out of drag along with a picture of RuPaul saying, "Sofa Loren, sashay… away."
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