Right-wing tweeters livid on the new White House disease control dad

Monkeypox is currently spreading across the country (and the world at large), with over 21,000 cases reported in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as of August 22. After a hesitant initial response, the White House took a more aggressive approach in its response and outreach to the outbreak, which included August 2. appointment of a new deputy coordinator of the Monkeypox response: Demetre Daskalakis. Daskalakis has a long resume of high-level public health experience — he served as covid incident commander for New York City and headed the CDC’s HIV prevention division — but also happens to be everything conservatives hate: sexy, gay and often shirtless.

Idiot noted and serial plagiarist Benny Johnson tweeted Thursday: “Meet Demetre Daskalakis. Demetre has just been appointed by Joe Biden to the position of official deputy coordinator of the national response to the White House Monkeypox. Demetre proudly wears the official symbol of the Church of Satan: The Pentagram. Joe Biden has appointed a Satanist to the White House. Johnson’s use of “fair” does a lot of work, as Daskalakis’ appointment took place a month ago. Go ahead, Benny. “I’m definitely not a Satanist,” says Daskalakis the lawyer. And why do people think he is? “It’s because I wear high fashion harnesses from Zana Bayne,” he replies cheekily.

Daily Caller writer Dylan Housman wrote: “Meet Joe Biden’s monkeypox czar: A ‘progressive and radical gay’ doctor who performs HIV tests at sex clubs and gives injections of meningitis in drag. Now he is in the White House. Housman wrote: it’s a story about Daskalakis’ “suggestive clothing” and “dozens, if not hundreds, of shirtless photos showing the doctor’s physique”.

Right-wingers like Johnson and Housman are having a field daytime with Daskalakis’ Instagram, making a lot of the point that Daskalakis wore leather shirts and harnesses with pentagram-like designs, which in turn confirms their belief that President Biden’s administration harbors Satanists (the after that because of that mistake). While the Good Doctor may sport an ominous leather star at times, he balances out the ungodly vibes with a massive Jesus tattoo on his stomach, among several other bits of ink.

Derogatory comments have flooded Daskalakis’ Instagram since the harassment against him began this week, and he has taken his profile private. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Unsurprisingly, the conservative response to Daskalakis’ nomination involves criticism of his expression of sexuality, with little to say about his qualification for the public health post – he is a graduate of Columbia and Harvard, experience as director of Mount Sinai Health System and a long stint with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Prior to joining the White House, he was known for having a unique approach to public health, particularly in his quest to meet the needs of the LGBTQ+ community. A profile in the Atlantic in 2014 cites Daskalakis as the “gay health warrior” who took HIV and hepatitis C tests at a Manhattan S&M club called Paddles as patrons partied the night away. Likewise, NBC News previously reported that Daskalakis would be dress in drag like a nurse give meningitis vaccines in sex clubs.

While right-wing rage against Daskalakis seems to drown out his infectious disease experience and creative approach to public health, many were quick to come to his defense.

After conservative radio personality Tim Young wrote of Daskalakis’ nomination, “I’m not making this up,” David Holland, a professor of infectious diseases at Emory University, replied“No, you’re not. He’s a brilliant scientist, a tireless public servant and he’s always worked on the front lines, including in this amazing ad campaign. My friend and my hero. Don’t be jealous because he is also prettier than you without his shirt.