The Long Anti-LGBTQ+ Record of New Speaker of the House Mike Johnson

After just over three weeks of rudderless chaos, the GOP-dominated U.S. House of Representatives finally elected a new Speaker after a single hard-right congressman, Matt Gaetz of Florida, triggered the removal of the last congressperson to hold that role, Rep. Kevin McCarthy.

But the election of Louisiana Rep. Mike Johnson to take up the gavel triggered an outcry from LGBTQ+ equality advocates, who documented his long history of opposition to, and work against, full equality under the law for sexual and gender minorities.

NBC News backgrounded the election of the new Speaker of the House by noting that "Johnson... was nominated Tuesday after three previous nominees flamed out. He unified the fractious Republican Conference, winning votes from right-wing detractors of McCarthy, R-Calif., as well as centrist Republicans who opposed Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio."

But Johnson's anti-LGBTQ+ record has deep roots that are entwined with his close ties to the anti-gay Alliance Defending Freedom, a group that has been staunchly opposed to legal parity for gay and transgender citizens.

CNN recalled that during his time as a lawyer with Alliance Defending Freedom – which the Southern Poverty Law Center has designated as an anti-LGBTQ+ hate group – Johnson wrote newspaper editorials that mischaracterized sexual orientation and gender identity as matters of conduct rather than innate personal characteristics and calling same-sex attraction and being transgender "bizarre choices."

In one editorial, CNN relayed, "Johnson called homosexuality a 'inherently unnatural' and 'dangerous lifestyle' that would lead to legalized pedophilia and possibly even destroy 'the entire democratic system.'"

"And, in another editorial, he wrote, 'Your race, creed, and sex are what you are, while homosexuality and cross-dressing are things you do."

"This is a free country, but we don't give special protections for every person's bizarre choices," Johnson said.

It was also during his stint with the hate group that Johnson "authored his opposition to the Supreme Court ruling in Lawrence v. Texas – which overturned state laws that criminalized homosexual activity between consenting adults," claiming that "States have many legitimate grounds to proscribe same-sex deviate sexual intercourse," and adding the rhetorical flourish: "By closing these bedroom doors, they have opened a Pandora's box."

In a news release, the Campaign for Southern Equality offered reminders of Johnson's long record of working against the rights of LGBTQ+ Americans, recalling, "As a Congressmember, he introduced a national version of the so-called 'Don't Say LGBTQ+' policies that are now in effect in Florida, Alabama, Kentucky, and North Carolina, censoring discussion of LGBTQ+ identity and attempting to erase queer youth, the LGBTQ+ parents of students, and LGBTQ+ teachers."

"He also co-sponsored a federal ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth. He voted against the Respect for Marriage Act, which became law in 2022."

And, the group said, "As a state lawmaker in Louisiana he wrote House Bill 707, a bill that would have granted a broad 'license to discriminate' for people and businesses that oppose the freedom to marry for same-sex couples."

The group's leader, Rev. Jasmine Beach-Ferrara, stated that Johnson's "new leadership role is just further proof of the dangerous priorities of the GOP and the critical stakes for our democracy – and for LGBTQ+ Americans – in 2024."

Brian K. Bond, the head of PFLAG, a national organization of parents of LGBTQ+ children that supports full legal equality for queer Americans, offered similarly scathing remarks in a release sent out by that group, saying, "Speaker Johnson has a history of working to deny freedom to LGBTQ+ people and families in the U.S., to deny the legitimacy of the federal election, and to deny access to safe and legal abortion."

"The role of Speaker requires that he works to preserve the rights and freedoms of all Americans, no matter their race, where they are from, their gender, or their ability," Bond added, "and PFLAG is watching and willing to hold him accountable – because the lives and well-being of LGBTQ+ people and their loved ones depend on it."

Aside from his efforts to prevent – and roll back – equality gains for queer Americans, Johnson has proved an ardent defender of Donald Trump. News sources took note of Johnson's role in spreading lies about the 2020 election and in trying to keep the former president in power despite Trump's loss to Joe Biden at the ballot box.

But those political maneuverings were only the beginning.

"In Biden's first two years, Johnson voted against a slew of bipartisan bills – including one to establish a Jan. 6 independent commission, the infrastructure law, reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, a modest new gun law and the CHIPS and Science Act," NBC said.

Though moderate and extreme-right Republicans managed to come together in the House to elevate Johnson to Speaker, not all of the party's notable figures expressed their enthusiasm. With Johnson having relatively little experience prior to his elevation to Speaker – he has served six years, compared to McCarthy's 16 – GOP Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah summarized his view with the quip that among House Republicans, "Inexperience seems to be a qualification."

The selection of such a dedicated foe of full legal equality for LGBTQ+ citizens is perhaps not a surprise, however. As CNN noted, "In the House Republican Conference's voting for their speaker nominee, Tom Emmer, who initially beat out Johnson, came under fire from conservatives for voting to codify same-sex marriage in 2022."