Gay Republican realized COVID-19 wasn’t a ‘hoax’ after infecting multiple family members
Tony Green ignored the "scamdemic" until he hosted a gathering that infected his loved ones with COVID-19
A gay conservative has penned a column detailing how he came to realize that COVID-19 wasn’t a Democratic “hoax.”
Unfortunately, that realization occurred after he infected multiple family members and was hospitalized.
Tony Green, a consultant and cultural transformation coach to prisons and inmates, believed the pandemic — which has claimed the lives of more than 150,000 Americans — was a “scamdemic,” he wrote in the Dallas Voice.
Describing himself as a gay conservative who ” juggles persecution for my sexuality while being true to my value,” Green says he voted for Donald Trump in 2016 and subsequently fell “deep into the conspiracy trap over COVID-19.”
“I believed the virus to be a hoax,” he wrote. “I believed the mainstream media and the Democrats were using it to create panic, crash the economy and destroy Trump’s chances at re-election.”
As such, he had no issues with continuing to host family members at his home, including on June 13. However, on June 14, he woke up feeling ill.
“By Monday, June 15, my partner and my parents were all sick,” he wrote. “That same Monday, my in-laws traveled to witness the birth of their first grandchild.
“They took with them my father-in-law’s mother and one of my partner’s sisters. That night my father-in-law became ill. Then my mother-in-law and their daughter began feeling sick. So they cut their trip short.”
His father-in-law’s mother became sick, then Green’s partner’s sibling and their partner.
“We all tested positive for COVID-19. Only the newborn was spared,” Green wrote.
His infection was so severe that he was hospitalized alongside his father-in-law on June 24, after the virus attacked his central nervous system, with hospital staff successfully able to prevent green from having a stroke.
Green’s father-in-law’s mother was admitted to hospital on June 25, and later died on July 1, from pneumonia as a result of her COVID-19 infection.
“The chaplain wanted the family to break the news to my father-in-law,” Green wrote, “and he learned how his mother lay on her deathbed and then drifted off without any family by her side, even though he was in the room next to hers.”
On the day of the funeral, five more family members tested positive for COVID-19, and that evening Green’s father-in-law was placed on a ventilator.
“You cannot imagine the guilt I feel, knowing that I hosted the gathering that led to so much suffering,” Green wrote. “You cannot imagine my guilt at having been a denier, carelessly shuffling through this pandemic, making fun of those wearing masks and social distancing. You cannot imagine my guilt at knowing that my actions convinced both our families it was safe when it wasn’t.”
He continued: “For those who deny the virus exists or who downplay its severity, let me assure you: The coronavirus is very real and extremely contagious.”
Green added: “[You] do not want this virus. And you do not want your loved ones suffering and dying from this because you are taking a ‘political stand’ or protecting the economy over their lives.”
He appealed to those people who refuse to wear masks or follow social distancing because they are “defending your rights and freedoms from being trampled,” noting, “just remember: Your family and friends may be next.”
“To ignore or question the validity of this virus, its contagiousness or the consequences of selfish attitudes is — at this stage — completely stupid,” he wrote.
Read more:
Madonna shares, then deletes video of anti-gay COVID-skeptic Dr. Stella Immanuel
Most gay and bi men hid COVID symptoms from sexual partners, study finds
Trump administration provided millions in COVID relief loans to anti-gay groups
Support Metro Weekly’s Journalism
These are challenging times for news organizations. And yet it’s crucial we stay active and provide vital resources and information to both our local readers and the world. So won’t you please take a moment and consider supporting Metro Weekly with a membership? For as little as $5 a month, you can help ensure Metro Weekly magazine and MetroWeekly.com remain free, viable resources as we provide the best, most diverse, culturally-resonant LGBTQ coverage in both the D.C. region and around the world. Memberships come with exclusive perks and discounts, your own personal digital delivery of each week’s magazine (and an archive), access to our Member's Lounge when it launches this fall, and exclusive members-only items like Metro Weekly Membership Mugs and Tote Bags! Check out all our membership levels here and please join us today!
You must be logged in to post a comment.