Anti-LGBT+ Republican who thinks the pandemic is a ‘hoax’ tests positive for COVID-19

A vehemently anti-LGBT+ Republican who thinks “liberal quacks keep spreading fear” by imposing lockdown measures and that the pandemic is a “hoax” has tested positive for COVID-19.

Republican Arkansas state senator Jason Rapert announced on Friday, July 24, that he was in hospital after testing positive for coronavirus and being diagnosed with pneumonia.

Rapert said in a statement: “This is a difficult time for my family, but we know that God is with us always. We’re sincerely grateful for the many prayers of love and support that have been expressed on our behalf.

“We have all been doing our best to wear a mask, social distance and be careful like everyone else. This virus is serious and can attack anyone regardless of age or general health.”

But around three months ago, Rapert shared an article on Facebook which called the coronavirus pandemic the “biggest political hoax in history”, and wrote: “Open up the country and Arkansas now.”

In a tweet on July 7, he wrote on Twitter: “Of all the reports of major disease outbreaks in history – there seems to be ZERO record of isolating or restricting healthy people.

“And ZERO instances of wholesale suspension of Constitutional rights in the USA. Liberty is not something to take lightly.”

According to Friendly Atheist, Rapert has recently attended multiple events, including a church service, without a mask.

Jason Rapert, who thinks the pandemic is a “hoax”, has a long anti-LGBT+ history.

The Republican state senator has a long history of anti-LGBT+ comments, and has previously insisted that “homosexual activists are fascists”.

Rapert encouraged people to vote against marriage equality in Ireland in 2015, and said on Twitter: “It amazes me that democracies would destroy the institution of family and natural marriage due to intimidation from very small gay lobby.”

“It is now becoming clear – the gay lobby has declared war on natural marriage between one man and one woman around the world,” he added.

He also believes that trans people do not exist, and wrote on Twitter in February this year: “Straight from a scientist’s mouth today: ‘It’s very simple – XX chromosome means you are a woman, and XY means you are a man. End of story.’

“This asinine rhetoric over gender from liberal ideologues is unscientific and laughable. Stop confusing kids.”