Valentina Gomez, a far-right Republican leader, has provoked outrage by tweeting a video of herself burning LGBTQ literature on fire with a flamethrower. Gomez, 24, is running for Missouri Secretary of State, and the video circulating on the internet is part of her campaign.
In the video, Gomez declares, “This is what I will do to the grooming books when I become secretary of state. These books come from a Missouri public library. When I’m in office, they will burn.” She also promises to burn all books that “groom, indoctrinate, and sexualize children” if elected.
Gomez’s campaign
The video, published on Gomez’s official X, Facebook, and Instagram accounts, shows her burning two books: ‘Queer: The Ultimate LGBTQ Guide for Teens’ and ‘Naked: Not Your Average Sex Encyclopedia’. In a separate X post, Gomez is pictured holding a rifle, with a caption stating, “Thank you for your support, stay away from the children. I’m not asking.” She asserts that she will protect all children with Jesus by her side.
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Gomez is described as a real estate investor, financier, strategist, and “a fierce advocate for the principles and values we hold dear as Americans battling for a better future” on her campaign website. Her position on book bans is supported by many Republican leaders around the country. Last year, police were called to middle school classrooms in Illinois and Massachusetts after teachers read books about gender identity and sexuality, according to the New York Post.
In Iowa, federal judges have overturned regulations prohibiting specific books from school libraries and preventing teachers from discussing LGBTQ topics. Florida has prohibited in-class conversations about gender and sexuality, according to a US tabloid. PEN America said that over 1,600 books were banned during the 2021-2022 school year. According to The Post, LGBTQ+ themes appeared in more than half of the banned or contested publications.