Congressman Matt Gaetz, a Republican from Florida, has slammed the response to his revelation on Thursday that he has a teenage son named Nestor.
Gaetz told People Magazine that he never formally adopted Nestor but has raised him since he immigrated to Florida from Cuba at age 12. He is now 19.
The responses ranged, from shock that he had a secret son, to skepticism of his motivations for disclosing this information after a heated exchange over race and parenting during a congressional hearing. But others insinuated that Nestor was not his son, but his lover, parodying the photo of them together.
“Ive honestly never understood this gay shaming smear,” he said, responding to a Tweet applauding him for “coming out”. “Are you saying being gay is something to be ashamed of? I’m not gay, but I don’t think it would be if I were.”
Matt Gaetz
(@mattgaetz)Ive honestly never understood this gay shaming smear.
Are you saying being gay is something to be ashamed of? I’m not gay, but I don’t think it would be if I were.
How do gay people feel when a straight person is accused of being gay as some sort of dig?
The New Woke is mean. https://t.co/E3la978ZSA
Gaetz told Fox News on Thursday that he shared the news after becoming upset over a remark made by Democratic congressman Cedric Richmond during a congressional hearing on policing reform.
Richmond, who is black, said lawmakers in the room didn’t know what it was like to father a black child.
“You’ve never lived in my shoes, and you do not know what it’s like to be an African American male, and all I’m saying is if you are opposed to this legislation, let’s just have the vote, but please do not come in this committee room and make a mockery of the pain that exists in my community,” Richmond said.
Gaetz jumped in to ask Richmond if he was “certain that none of us have nonwhite children? Because you referenced your black son, and you said none of us could understand.”
Richmond replied: “It is not about the color of your kids. It is about black males, black people in the streets that are getting killed, and if one of them happens to be your kid, I’m concerned about him, too, and clearly, I’m more concerned about him than you are.”
Gaetz exploded in anger: “You’re claiming you have more concern for my family than I do? Who in the hell do you think you are?”
The next morning, the Florida congressman Tweeted a photo of himself and Nestor.
Matt Gaetz
(@mattgaetz)For all those wondering, this is my son Nestor. We share no blood but he is my life. He came from Cuba (legally, of course) six years ago and lives with me in Florida.
I am so proud of him and raising him has been the best, most rewarding thing I’ve done in my life. pic.twitter.com/JB96wzOzYU
Nestor made an appearance with Gaetz during the Fox News interview with Tucker Carlson on Thursday.
Asked by Carlson about Richmond’s remarks, Nestor said: “I think it’s kind of unfair to tell someone that they don’t understand because of their racial color.”
