Gays Against Groomers
Gays Against Groomers is an advocacy organization comprised of gay and lesbian individuals who oppose “LGBTQIA+” activism, which includes the sexualization, indoctrination, and surgical alteration of children in service to the gender ideology movement. Gays Against Groomers seeks to protect children and reclaim a view of gay and lesbian interests that it claims is now unrecognizable. 1 Gays Against Groomers engages in mobilization largely through social media, where as of August 2024 it has 381,000 followers on Instagram and 453,800 followers on X. 2 3
Contents
Activities
Since its founding in 2022, Gays Against Groomers has advocated for shutting down drag shows geared towards children and bills that prevent so-called “gender-affirming” surgeries on minors, organized rallies and protests, spoken at school board meetings, and endorsed like-minded candidates. Gays Against Groomers claims that the gender identity movement is causing disruption and destruction in schools, government, and the medical community by prioritizing the transgender agenda over material reality. 1
Gays Against Groomers opposes education on LGBT subjects in school, claiming that children should be learning skills and not be pressured into contemplating their sexuality and identity at such a young age. 4
Gays Against Groomers opposes so-called “gender-affirming” medical interventions for children, including puberty blockers and gender affirming surgeries, claiming that a normal puberty is essential to children becoming healthy adults and that surgical interventions are tantamount to child abuse. 4
Gays Against Groomers produces the Dark Side of the Rainbow podcast, which discusses the trans attack on children’s identity and innocence. 5 Gays Against Groomers Publishing recently released a book, the Gender Trap: The Trans Agenda’s War Against Children, geared towards parents whose child may be questioning their identity and those questioning the prevalence of the radical transgender movement. The book has been praised by political commentator Tucker Carlson, Moms for Liberty co-founder Tiffany Justice, and social media influencer Andy Ngo. 6
Funding
Gays Against Groomers is funded by donations from individuals and sales of merchandise. 7
Leadership
Jaimee Michell is the founder, CEO, and president of the board of Gays Against Groomers. Michell, who goes by the handle “the Gay Who Strayed” and calls herself “the OG Right Wing Lesbian,” formerly sat on the Trump Pride advisory board for the 2020 presidential campaign of then-President Donald Trump. 8
Other members of the board include executive director Sasha Leigh and director of communications and secretary of the board Judith Rose. 9
Controversy
The Southern Poverty Law Center, a controversial left-wing watchdog of alleged extremist groups that has faced criticism for classifying mainstream right-leaning organizations as “hate groups,” 10 and the Anti-Defamation League, a left-leaning advocacy organization with a focus on Jewish civil rights, have alleged that Gays Against Groomers is an extremist anti-LGBT organization or is aligned with them. 11 12