Gay US politician gives Mike Pence the middle finger as an 'official welcome'

As a vocal opponent of same-sex marriage and reproductive rights, US vice president Mike Pence is far from popular within the LGBT+ community.

Now, an outspoken Pennsylvania legislator has lashed out at the vice president on the eve of his visit to his home district. State representative Brian Sims welcomed Pence to his Tuesday fundraiser with his middle finger.

In a post on social media, Sims wrote:

To be clear, we’re a city of soaring diversity. We believe in the power of all people to live and to contribute: black, brown, queer, trans, atheist, immigrant, we want you and we’ll respect you.

So keep that in mind while you’re here raising money to attack more families, spread more lies, blaspheme with your bible, and maybe even talk to a woman without your wife in the room. We have plenty of them, and they’re pretty much all more powerful and more real than you have ever been.

Pence is so anti-LGBT+ that the Human Rights Campaign has a detailed guide to his bigotry. Last week in Ohio his visit was timed with Pride, where a big block party inevitably blasted music outside the venue.

Elected to the 182nd district of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 2012, the 39-year-old Democrat is a rising star in politics. He has garnered a reputation for calling out statehouse conservatives for religious bigotry.

After the post received backlash from Pence supporters, Sims spent some time taking down his detractors in the wittiest ways.

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