According to "Hillbilly Elegy," Vance's grandmother assured him that he wasn't gay, but that God would still love him if he was.
Yes, there's more to it than that and it's quite stupid and also quite bigoted. Republicans don't need to know that. They didn't and won't read his book anyway.
Which is totally fine right? Unless he belongs to some sort of extremist group that base their identity around intolerance, racism and homophobia.. but that's just crazy talk! This guy could be the new VP!
I mean, for some people, it is. When you're exploring your identity, you don't always get it right on your first try. Just like there are people who are convinced they're straight that are actually gay (or bi, or pan, or what have you). Though that is far more common, largely because of the societal pressures to conform to heteronormativity.
But then, perhaps that truly is Vance's case here. Maybe he actually is gay, and his whole... everything is just him trying desperately to convince himself otherwise.
Right, but the reason he's saying this at all is to try and make the claim that it is a choice, and that he simply changed his choice. Not that he found his real self without societal pressure.