Tennessee anti-drag lawmakers thirst for gay men’s Instagram

Anti-drag lawmaker Randy McNally of Tennessee was caught liking and commenting on a gay man’s racy Instagram pictures.

Earlier this year, the state of Tennessee banned certain drag performances and barred trans children from receiving vital, gender-affirming care.

The Southern Senate passed legislation banning drag shows in public on Feb. 23, and the measure went to Republican Gov. Bill Lee’s desk for signature.

In addition to the drag ban, lawmakers also voted to submit a bill to the governor that would ban doctors from offering gender-affirming medical treatments such as puberty blockers, hormone therapy and surgery to transgender minors.

The new law could also affect public Pride celebrations and is just one of dozens of anti-LGBTQ+ laws aimed at banning gender-affirming grooming, drag shows, LGBTQ+ books and trans athletes across the US.

Republican Lieutenant Governor and Speaker of the Tennessee Senate Randy McNally has been an enthusiastic supporter of the bills and other anti-LGBTQ+ legislation.

But now McNally, 79, has been caught in the act commenting and liking a gay man’s thirsty Instagram pics. Legislators leave flame emojis, hearts, and likes, and seem to have been leaving comments for a long time.

The pictures’ poster, Franklyn McClur, confirmed in reports that it was indeed the Lieutenant Governor’s report that left the laudatory comments.

McClur, 20, was unaware that the governor was the spearhead of the anti-LGBTQ+ legislation that was plaguing the state, adding that he always thought the posts were random.

The news was first broken publicly after journalist Walter Murphy Posted Evidence that McNally posted various comments on McClur’s topless Instagram posts.

When asked to comment on the Instagram comments, McNally’s spokesman Adam Kleinheider said the politician had no intention of stopping posting on social media.

“Attempting to imply something sinister or inappropriate about a great-grandfather’s use of social media says more about the opinion of the left-wing activist making the implication than it does about Randy McNally,” he said.

“As everyone in Tennessee politics knows…McNally is a prolific social media commentator. He goes to great lengths to see every post he can find and often posts encouraging things to many of his followers.

“Does he always use the right emoji at the right time? Maybe not. But he enjoys interacting with voters and Tennesseans of all religions, backgrounds and orientations on social media.”