Press conference on anti-trans bills ends with Republican doing press-ups because toxic masculinity
Republican chairman Allen West showing everyone what a manly man he is (Twitter/@janestreet)
If a press conference on anti-trans bills isn’t the perfect place for an unsolicited display of masculinity, then Texas GOP chairman Allen West doesn’t know what is.
In a clear sign that Republicans are taking LGBT+ issues seriously, the 60-year-old former Army lieutenant colonel decided to challenge a CBS reporter to do 30 pushups at a press conference on Wednesday (5 May), because men, that’s why.
The reporter had turned up late to the event at the Texas State Capitol so Allen West ordered him to do the pushups to make up for his “tardiness”.
When the journalist “respectfully” declined, presumably realising this was neither the time nor the place, West decided he should carry out his own challenge.
In full suit and tie, the chairman dropped to the ground beside the podium and showed everyone what a manly man he is – and the absurd spectacle attracted a small crowd who chanted and cheered as he did so.
Texas GOP chair @AllenWest challenged a reporter who was late to his press conference to do 30 pushups. The reporter “respectfully” declined; Allen West did them instead pic.twitter.com/sF9jAoJn52
— Jane C. Timm (@janestreet) May 5, 2021
Allen West’s attention-grabbing stunt was certainly a great distraction from the sinister bills he’s pushing, which would criminalise abortion and medical treatment for transgender minors.
The abortion bill would ban abortions after six weeks, a period of time in which most women don’t even realise they’re pregnant.
It contains no exceptions for rape or incest, and also allows anyone to sue any person who “aids and abets” an abortion, including rideshare drivers and money lenders who unknowingly help women obtain an abortion.
Meanwhile, the anti-trans bill would label parents who consent to gender-affirming treatment for their children as “child abusers”, placing them alongside those who create child porn, sexually abuse children, give illegal drugs to children and those who facilitate forced child marriages.
West told The Texan that state Republicans were ready to defend the laws in court if they faced any challenge from “frivolous” lawsuits, because clearly this is a man who tolerates no frivolity.
