A psychologist explains why homophobic Republicans might be prone to gay sex scandals

Why do politicians who espouse anti-gay sentiment seem more likely to be felled by a gay sex scandal than non-homophobic lawmakers?

From Larry Craig's infamous bathroom stall encounter to a young Republican Ohio state representative who resigned in 2017 after revelations of a same-sex encounter, anti-LGBT sentiment can often be accompanied by a secret double life.

There are several theories about why someone with same-sex attraction might lobby for anti-gay causes, explains Dr. Justin Lehmiller on his blog Sex and Psychology.

One is that due to controlling parents, they were never able to explore their sexuality in a healthy way. Another is religion: "For these individuals, perhaps their religious identity is more central to their sense of self than their sexual identity (at least most of the time)."

Research suggests that it might also come down to cognitive dissonance: the uncomfortable feeling that occurs when two competing thoughts are held at the same time.

"This theory argues that we are motivated to resolve these inconsistencies when we become aware of them because they are psychologically uncomfortable," he writes.

For example, when LGBT Republicans maintained support for the party, despite the 2016 GOP platform being one of the most homophobic in recent history.

"This person might rationalize the inconsistency by thinking to themselves that 'the party's official platform doesn’t really mean anything anyway.' In other words, these individuals may actively look for ways to rationalize their inconsistent beliefs and feelings whenever discrepancies come to light."