Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) launched an all-out transphobic campaign against the Equality Act, landmark LGBTQ civil rights legislation that passed the House of Representatives yesterday.
While people around the nation reacted in horror at her reprehensible antics – like insulting the transgender child of Rep. Marie Newman (D-IL) by hanging an offensive sign outside of her office – Greene has a long history of stalking and denigrating LGBTQ people. In fact, it helped launch her political career.
Related: The insurrection-loving members of Congress also have anti-LGBTQ histories
A lengthy Politico profile, details Greene’s rise from accountant to Christian Crossfit obsessive-turned-conspiracy theorist.
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The motivation behind her dramatic rise outside the ranks of traditional Republican political circles centers around two things. Her wealth allowed her to travel around the nation ginning up controversy and self-promotion for years and helped her fund her campaign. And once she turned her attention to QAnon and drag queens, it skyrocketed her popularity among Trump supporters and the religious right.
All told, Greene gave her campaign almost a million dollars.
Greene’s nonstop videos and blog posts decrying Muslims, feminists, transgender people, Democrats, and scientists garnered her a cult following. Her ability to buy a new extravagant home in the district shortly before announcing her run for office gave her the means. And her homophobia made her a darling of the religious right.
Meanwhile, Greene was having multiple affairs, ruining businesses, and embarrassing her friends and family.
She complained about a Drag Queen Story Hour in Georgia on Facebook, writing: “Trans does not mean gender change, it just means a gender refusal and gender pretending. Truth is truth, it is not a choice!!!”
She then went to the event and confronted a library worker, recording her confrontation where she asked the worker why they were hosting “an event that went against her personal beliefs as a taxpayer.” She also posted another rambling 90-minute video from the library where she attacked the drag queen at the event.
“That’s the abomination that just read four children’s books to children in our public library here in Alpharetta, Georgia,” Greene said as she filmed the kids listening to the story.
“I do not hate or have any ill will against that man. I just don’t like that gender confusion being put on young children,” she continued.
“Now the Christians are the bad guys. We’re the bad guys,” she said. “Because we’re the protesters and we’re being hateful and we’re the ones that are the bad guys because we’re hating on people because we don’t want our children brainwashed and confused. So ridiculous.”
“I’m an Alpharetta resident, and I didn’t want this ‘Drag Queen Story Hour,’” she continued. “And nobody listened to me.”
Now everyone is listening.
