Far-right Republican leader Valentina Gomez has sparked controversy by posting a video of herself setting LGBTQ books on fire with a flamethrower. Gomez, 24, is running for Missouri secretary of state, and the video making rounds 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.
The video, shared on Gomez’s official X, Facebook, and Instagram accounts, shows her burning two books, including ‘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.
Gomez’s campaign website describes her 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”. Her stance on book banning is shared by many Republican leaders across the country. Police were called in the states of Illinois and Massachusetts last year when teachers were reading books about gender identity and sexuality in middle school classrooms, the New York Post reported.
In Iowa, US federal judges have blocked laws that ban some books from school libraries and prevent teachers from discussing LGBTQ issues. Florida has blocked in-class discussions of gender and sexuality, the US tabloid said. According to a report from PEN America, more than 1,600 books were banned during the 2021-2022 school year. Over half of the books that were either banned or challenged had LGBTQ+ themes, The Post said.
