Amir Odom: Why I Left the LGBTQ Movement
Amir Odom joins Riley Gaines to discuss Pride Month, the modern LGBTQ movement, political homelessness, cancel culture, BLM, Trump, and why he says many people no longer feel represented by the communities they are told they must belong to. In this episode of The Riley Gaines Show, Riley and Amir talk about identity politics, the pressure to conform politically, the current state of the LGBTQ movement, the left.
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Hollywood actor Luke Evans rejected the assumption that gay people should hold “woke” political views in an interview published Friday, saying sexuality does not determine someone’s broader beliefs while discussing the politics surrounding his upcoming ITV drama, “The Party.”
When asked whether gay people are still expected to embrace left-wing politics, Evans rejected the idea that sexuality dictates a person’s political or cultural views.
“Just because you are gay yourself doesn’t mean you have to be woke,” Evans told The Telegraph. “Your sexuality is one part of who you are, but our opinions on society and life differ in every single person. I’ve got very woke gay friends and very unwoke gay friends. We don’t all agree on the same thing.”
Luke Evans rejected the assumption that gay people had to embrace “woke” political views, saying sexuality was only one part of a person’s identity. (Getty Images)
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Evans’ comments echoed those of other gay public figures who have previously spoken to Digital about political expectations tied to their sexuality.
Black, gay influencer Amir Odom said in 2024 that he once believed being gay meant he was expected to support Democrats and LGBTQ political causes.
Odom said he had previously followed what he described as a political “script” based in part on his race and sexuality.
“That, because I’m gay, I have to be [a] Democrat, I have to support all the LGBTQ causes because that’s who was there for me,” he said. “Until I realized that wasn’t the truth.”
Evans said he had spent much of his Hollywood career playing straight, “macho” roles and argued an actor’s sexuality should not determine the characters they could portray. (Deadline via Getty Images)
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Actor and activist Yuval David similarly told Digital in 2025 that he became “politically homeless” after feeling increasingly disconnected from communities he once expected to represent him.
The self-described gay, progressive American-Israeli ultimately voted for President Donald Trump.
David said he believed ideological divisions had left some conservative LGBTQ voices feeling shut out.
“Ironically, I’ve found that conservatives are the ones who allow LGBTQ+ people to speak freely,” David said. “I’ve had real conversations with moderates and even right-leaning individuals. Meanwhile, the progressive left tries to shut me down the moment I don’t align with all of their talking points.”
Evans’ remarks echoed other gay public figures who had pushed back on political expectations tied to sexuality and identity. (Deadline via Getty Images)
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Evans, known for roles in “Beauty and the Beast,” “Fast & Furious 6” and “The Hobbit” franchise, spent much of his career playing “straight macho” characters despite being openly gay. He said that experience reinforced his belief that an actor’s sexuality should not define his work.
“I’ve played mostly straight macho roles my whole career, and I’ve loved it,” Evans told The Telegraph. “In my own way, I’ve sent out a message that who you are and who you love has absolutely no relevance to your talent and that you can pull off playing a straight guy just as well as anyone.”
Earlier this week, openly gay actor Billy Porter said that his career benefited from what he called an era of “performative wokeness.”
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“As a Black, gay, out artist, I caught the wave of what we now know as performative wokeness,” Porter said.
Evans also rejected the idea that gay actors should only play gay characters, saying such a standard would have drastically limited his own career, while arguing that Hollywood should provide more opportunities for gay and transgender performers.
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“If gay people only played gay characters, then I’d have had no career,” Evans said. “But I understand there’s also not enough opportunities for gay actors to play gay characters, or for trans actors to play trans characters.”
