JD Vance ‘Convinced Himself He's Gay’ When He Was a Kid and Had His Name Changed Twice

Ohio Senator JD Vance’s memoir, Hillbilly Elegy, reveals a fascinating and complex story of identity and transformation. In one of the most memorable and candid moments from his autobiography, Vance recounts how, as a young boy, he convinced himself that he might be gay. Vance recalls the moment when, after hearing a fire-and-brimstone preacher on TV, he became convinced that he was destined for hell. 

He wrote, "I'll never forget the time I convinced myself that I was gay. I was eight or nine, maybe younger, and I stumbled upon a broadcast by some fire-and-brimstone preacher. The man spoke about the evils of homosexuals, how they had infiltrated our society, and how they were all destined for hell absent some serious repenting. At the time, the only thing I knew about gay men was that they preferred men to women. This described me perfectly: I disliked girls, and my best friend in the world was my buddy Bill. Oh no, I'm going to hell."

When he confided in his grandmother, "Mamaw," her response was blunt and reassuring. She said, "Don't be a fucking idiot, how would you know that you're gay?...JD, do you want to suck dicks?" To which Vance was taken aback and exclaimed, "Of course not!" His grandmother reassured him and said, "Then you're not gay. And even if you did want to suck dicks, that would be okay. God would still love you." However, Vance’s upbringing was marked by contrasts. While Mamaw offered a more tolerant and compassionate view, his biological father was a member of a more conservative religious community that viewed the world through a rigid lens. 

This duality in his early life may help explain the complex and often contradictory positions Vance has taken as an adult, particularly concerning LGBTQ+ rights. Vance’s story is also one of repeated self-reinvention. As per Advocate, born James Donald Bowman, he changed his name twice– first to Hamel, his stepfather’s surname, and then to Vance, in honor of his beloved grandmother. He recalled, "When Bob became my legal father, Mom changed my name from James Donald Bowman to James David Hamel." Vance further wrote, "Gay people, though unfamiliar, threatened nothing about Mamaw's being. There were more important things for a Christian to worry about."

As per Business Insider, despite his personal experiences with identity, Vance has taken a staunch stance against LGBTQ+ rights during his time in the Senate. Back then, he remarked, "Most Americans, I think, don't really care about same-sex marriage. They're probably a little bit more skeptical of say, giving hormonal therapies to 13-year-old kids.” He has also criticized the inclusion of a third gender option on U.S. passports, arguing, “The last thing the State Department should be doing is wasting its time and your tax dollars pushing far-left gender ideology. There are only two genders — passports issued by the United States government should recognize that simple fact.”