Vice President of the United States, JD Vance’s rise from a troubled Appalachian childhood to the second-highest office in the nation is a story marked by transformation and glaring contradictions, particularly regarding LGBTQ+ rights.
In his bestselling memoir Hillbilly Elegy, Vance reflects on a childhood moment when he feared he might be gay. Influenced by a preacher’s harsh condemnation of homosexuality, the young Vance was terrified he’d go to hell simply for not being interested in girls and cherishing a deep friendship with another boy. His grandmother, affectionately known as “mamaw,” reassured him with compassion and unconditional love—an experience that, to some, suggested a potential for empathy.
But as Vice President, Vance has instead emerged as a leading voice against LGBTQ+ rights, especially those of transgender Americans. Critics argue that his current hardline stance stands in stark contrast to his past, one shaped by identity confusion and personal reinvention.
Born James Donald Bowman, Vance has changed his name twice—first to Hamel, his stepfather’s surname, and later to Vance to honour his grandmother. These personal transformations make his political obsession with fixed identity, particularly in regard to gender, appear contradictory.
Vance has championed policies that restrict LGBTQ+ rights, including introducing a bill to criminalise gender-affirming care for minors and opposing the inclusion of a third gender marker on U.S. passports. “There are only two genders,” he declared when promoting his now-enacted Passport Sanity Act.
Although once a “never-Trumper,” Vance fully embraced Donald Trump’s ideology, ultimately becoming his vice-presidential running mate and now serving as second-in-command. His political shift—from a Yale-educated sceptic to a staunch far-right conservative – has been rapid and dramatic.
Critics highlight the irony: a man whose own journey is marked by name changes, shifting identities, and evolving beliefs now backs policies that deny others the right to define themselves. Despite his personal history, Vance has aligned with an administration that has systematically dismantled protections for LGBTQ+ people, curtailed trans healthcare access, and supported laws banning LGBTQ+ content in schools and public libraries.
The Vice President’s past suggests he understands what it means to feel out of place or uncertain about one’s identity. Yet his political actions have made him one of the most prominent anti-LGBTQ+ figures in the current U.S. administration.
