MAGA Activist Alleges Senator Is Gay Under Oath
A far-right provocateur’s testimony has reignited speculation about U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham’s sexuality. Laura Loomer – a self-described MAGA influencer and close ally of Donald Trump – claimed in a recent legal deposition that it is “well-known” Graham is gay. Loomer testified under oath that “several of President Trump’s staff have told me in confidence that Lindsey Graham is gay,” according to a court transcript from June. After excerpts of her deposition became public this August, Loomer doubled down on social media, insisting she “was under oath… I couldn’t lie.”
Loomer has repeatedly targeted Graham over the past year. In a September 2024 post on X (formerly Twitter), she taunted the South Carolina Republican to “come out of the closet,” writing: “We all know you’re gay, Lindsey… and that’s OK. It’s 2024. There’s nothing wrong with gay people.” The tirade came after Graham criticised Loomer for a racist attack she made on Vice President Kamala Harris. Graham’s office did not comment at the time, and the senator has consistently denied all such claims.
‘Ladybug’ Nickname and Longstanding Rumours
Speculation about Graham’s private life is hardly new – it has trailed him for years in Washington. A lifelong bachelor with no children, the 70-year-old senator has often been the subject of gossip due to his unmarried status.
In 2020, chatter about Graham’s sexuality spiked dramatically after a gay adult film star, Sean Harding, alleged that Graham had hired male escorts who privately referred to him by the nickname “Lady G.” The hashtag #LadyG trended on Twitter as unconfirmed stories swirled. One salacious claim came from an anonymous Medium blog – supposedly written by a male escort – which described an intimate encounter with Graham and referenced “little ladybugs” as an inside joke. The blog was quickly deleted, but not before the peculiar “ladybugs” detail went viral in political gossip circles.
Graham has never addressed the “Lady G” or “ladybugs” anecdotes directly. He has, however, repeatedly denied being gay on the record. The senator – a Southern Baptist – once quipped that he wasn’t involved in any “clandestine affair with Ricky Martin,” telling The New York Times: “I ain’t gay. Sorry.” He has explained his bachelorhood by alluding to past relationships with women that “did not work out,” including a proposal he says he considered to a long-time girlfriend who did not want to move to South Carolina.
High-Profile Commentary and Reactions
Over the years, numerous public figures – both liberal and conservative – have openly commented on or joked about Graham’s perceived secrecy. Comedian Chelsea Handler and The View host Whoopi Goldberg are among those who have insinuated the senator is a closeted gay man. Broadway icon Patti LuPone went further in 2020, tweeting directly at Graham: “You are a disgrace. On a personal note, why don’t you just bite the bullet and come out.” Even HBO host Bill Maher has repeatedly teased the topic in his monologues.
Such remarks have not gone uncriticised. Some LGBTQ activists and commentators argue that fixating on Graham’s sexuality – or using feminised nicknames like “Lady G” as a slur – can itself be problematic. Padma Lakshmi and others have cautioned that calling someone “Lady” as an insult is implicitly homophobic, suggesting critics should focus on Graham’s politics rather than playground taunts. Historian Thomas Balcerski has noted that the obsession with outing politicians reflects broader societal expectations: Americans have long presumed their leaders to be straight and married, casting suspicion on those who aren’t.
Timeline: The “Lady G” Rumours
| Year / Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Pre-2020 | Speculation in Washington over Graham’s bachelor status and anti-LGBTQ record. Graham denies being gay. |
| June 2020 | Adult film actor Sean Harding alleges Graham hires male escorts. Nickname “Lady G” trends; “ladybugs” anecdote circulates online. |
| Oct 2020 | Graham tells New York Times: “I ain’t gay. Sorry,” during re-election campaign. |
| 2021–2023 | Rumours resurface sporadically in media and comedy monologues. Graham continues to dismiss them. |
| Sept 2024 | Laura Loomer tells Graham to “come out of the closet” in viral post on X after spat over Kamala Harris. |
| Feb 2025 | Graham booed at Trump rally in South Carolina, exposing rift with MAGA base. |
| June 2025 | Loomer testifies under oath that “Trump staffers told me Lindsey Graham is gay.” |
| Aug 2025 | Loomer doubles down on social media as deposition excerpts go public, reigniting the “Lady G” saga. |
In the video below, political commentator Keith Edwards discusses Laura Loomer’s sworn claim about Senator Graham, noting that the rumour remains unverified and that Graham has consistently denied it for years.
Anti-LGBTQ+ Voting Record
Adding fuel to the debate is Graham’s staunchly conservative record on LGBTQ+ rights, which critics call deeply hypocritical if the rumours were true. Graham has aligned himself with the religious right on virtually all LGBTQ-related policy issues.
Key points from his record include:
- Same-Sex Marriage: Graham opposed marriage equality and supported the now-defunct Defence of Marriage Act. Even after the Supreme Court’s Obergefell decision legalised gay marriage, he praised those who “believe in traditional marriage,” stopping short of endorsing equal marriage himself.
- Anti-Discrimination Laws: He voted against the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which would have prohibited workplace discrimination against LGBTQ people.
- Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell: Graham sided with conservatives in opposing the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” the policy banning openly gay service members.
- Judicial Appointments: He championed and voted for conservative judges, including Amy Coney Barrett, who was widely seen as hostile to LGBTQ rights.
The Human Rights Campaign has consistently given Graham very low scores on equality, rating his voting record at just 12% in favour of LGBTQ rights.
Political Implications and Hypocrisy Debate
Loomer’s recent claims highlight a peculiar rift in Graham’s political world. On one hand, he is a trusted Trump ally who toed the MAGA line on many issues – yet fringes of the MAGA base openly distrust him, sometimes booing him at Trump rallies. For far-right activists, portraying Graham as closeted and disloyal appeals to socially conservative suspicions that he isn’t truly one of them.
Democrats and LGBTQ advocates, for their part, see a profound irony. If Graham were gay (a claim without verified evidence), his career could be viewed as a case of hypocrisy – denying rights to a group he secretly belongs to. “Outing is a brutal tactic that should be reserved for brutes. Lady G more than qualifies,” liberal commentator Dan Savage tweeted in 2020.
Still, no concrete evidence has ever substantiated the rumours. Graham has repeatedly denied them and urged voters to judge him on his work. Yet the convergence of persistent gossip, his anti-LGBTQ record, and MAGA activists’ hostility keeps the “Lady G” saga alive – a reminder of how personal identity can be weaponised in today’s culture wars.
Sources
- Laura Loomer deposition and social media comments: Daily Beast, PinkNews, Advocate
- “Lady G” rumours and escort allegations: Washington Blade, Medium blog excerpts (archived), Towleroad
- Graham’s denials: New York Times, People magazine
- Public figures’ commentary: Advocate, Towleroad, social media posts by Patti LuPone, Chelsea Handler, Whoopi Goldberg, Bill Maher
- LGBTQ rights record: The Advocate, Washington Blade, Human Rights Campaign reports
- Historical and cultural context: Washington Post, historian Thomas Balcerski interview