Right wingnut Matt Walsh seems really triggered by Wayne Brady’s pansexuality: “He could be attracted to any of us!”

TV host Wayne Brady came out on Monday. People magazine ran an exclusive interview in which the 51-year-old revealed he’s pansexual.

Brady said, “In doing my research, both with myself and just with the world, I couldn’t say if I was bisexual, because I had to really see what that was, especially because I really have not gotten a chance to act on anything.

“So, I came to pansexual because — and I know that I’m completely messing up the dictionary meaning — but to me, pan means being able to be attracted to anyone who identifies as gay, straight, bi, transsexual or non-binary. Being able to be attracted across the board. And, I think, at least for me for right now, that is the proper place.”

Brady also posted a super cute video on TikTok to confirm he was identifying as a member of the LGBTQ+ community.

Matt Walsh demands Brady “pick a team”

Brady’s announcement received a flood of supportive messages. However, there was also the usual “Why do you feel the need to come out?” type of reaction. And then there were people confused by the concept of pansexuality.

Leading the charge was Daily Wire podcaster Matt Walsh, the creator of the anti-trans documentary What Is A Woman?

In a segment posted last night, Walsh demanded Brady “pick a team”. Besides not believing in the existence of trans identities, Walsh struggles with the notion it’s possible to be attracted to more than one gender.

“Stop being indecisive,” Walsh implored. “That’s what pansexual really is. Besides being made up, it’s a lack of commitment.

“The other thing is, other people have a right to know if they are potential objects of your sexual fantasies,” he suggested.

“That’s why it’s not fair to walk around and say ‘I’m attracted to anyone. Anyone at all. No one’s safe’.

“Now, if anyone is sitting in a room with Wayne Brady, and it’s a diverse group. You’ve got like an overweight, 65-year-old man, and you’ve got a young woman, and whatever. Everyone’s sitting around and they’re all thinking, ‘He could be attracted to any one of us right now! Any one of us. It could be any of us.’ It’s scary. It’s like some Agatha Christie novel, in a weird way,” Walsh concluded

Bisexuality and pansexuality exist

Where do we even start with such bizarre logic?

For a start, Walsh’s argument that other people have a right to know “what team” you’re on flies in the face of the often-conservative argument that queer people don’t need to come out and should keep their business to themselves.

Secondly, it suggests Walsh has a deep-seated fear of encountering men who may—just may—find him sexually attractive.

Thirdly, it’s worth noting there’s a long conservative and US cultural tradition of expressing fear over Black men and their sexuality. Walsh’s choice of wording—”scary”, “no one’s safe”—plays into this.

Lastly, many people are attracted to more than one gender. That does not make them indecisive, greedy, or confused.

The most recent Gallup poll on the subject found that 7.2% of the US population identified as LGBT. That is double the percentage from 2012 when Gallup first measured it.

Of that 7.2%, the most common identity was bisexual, accounting for 4.2% of all US adults.

Brady grew up in Orlando, Florida. He said he was very shy when younger and encountered bullying. He has struggled with his sexuality for some time.

Brady has been married twice. His first marriage, to Diana Lasso, was from 1993-1995. He married dancer Mandie Taketa in 1999. They divorced in 2007. He and Taketa have a 20-year-old daughter, Maile.

Brady told People he has yet to have dated a man but is now open to the possibility. He’s looking forward to being, “the best Wayne Brady that everybody wants and expects. I can be the best dad that Maile needs. I can be the best friend to Mandie, the best son to my mother, and one day, the best partner to someone, because I’m doing this for me.”