New Mexico Democrat Roger Montaya has succeeded in his race for the State House of Representatives despite a smear campaign from conservatives highlighting his appearances in gay adult films in his early twenties.
Right-wing website Piñon Post published allegations last month that Montoya had participated in “unprotected sex in multiple gay films” under the aliases of “Joe Savage” and “Eric Martinez,” leading to backlash from conservatives who called on him to drop out of his campaign for House District 40.
Montoya responded by disclosing his involvement in two adult films at the age of 22, noting that, at the time, he was a financially destitute college student in Los Angeles.
In a statement at the time, Montoya said he was “not proud of that choice, as I was young and naïve, but those experiences helped me to understand the exploitation young people face.”
“Those experiences do not reflect who I am, and they are insignificant in the scope of my life’s work, yet they helped inspire my dedication to my community and the work I do to make sure that youth have opportunities, support and confidence,” he added.
The Democratic Party of New Mexico rallied behind Montoya in light of the GOP’s calls to step down from the race, condemning Republicans for their efforts “to shame a gay man for a choice made in the distant past, while ignoring Donald Trump’s long record of illicit conduct.”
In spite of attacks from the right, Montoya handily won against his Republican challenger, Justin Salazar-Torrez, by a margin of 56.8 percent to 43.2 percent.
Following his win, he committed to strengthening bipartisan relations once he takes office, writing on Facebook, “As I prepare to serve in the NM State House of Representatives, I pledge to build bridges with my colleagues regardless of the political divide — our state deserves civility, vision and progress.”
Montoya, an artist, dancer, and longtime community organizer who heads Moving Arts Española, a local arts-centric youth center, has worked on anti-violence and HIV education initiatives.
As a person living with HIV, he helped implement the first HIV education programs in Española public schools., and was recognized as one of 10 CNN Heroes in 2019 for his contributions.
“In many ways, my life has been accentuated for the positive by having HIV,” Montoya said in a 2019 interview with POZ. “My diagnosis gave me a sense of urgency. It made me realize life is very short.”
He added: “It also made it possible for me to be bold and courageous, to accomplish what I could in the time that was left.”
On July 21, Wilmer Chavarria, superintendent of Vermont's Winooski School District, was detained for hours by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport after returning from a family visit to Nicaragua with his husband, Essex High School teacher Cyrus Dudgeon.
Officers seized Chavarria's phone and computer, separated him from Dudgeon, and interrogated him for at least five hours about his marriage and his job, according to Vermont's alternative weekly Seven Days.
During the interrogation, agents questioned whether Chavarria and Dudgeon were really married and repeatedly asked if Chavarria was actually a school superintendent. In an email to school board members, Chavarria described the experience as "abusive interrogation" and said he was "treated in a manner that is deeply disturbing and unacceptable."
Judi Fike, a Republican councilwoman in Groveland, Florida, has been reinstated to her seat after fellow council members suspended her over offensive social media posts targeting Black and LGBTQ communities. Fike, who was appointed in October 2024 to represent the city’s District 4, has filed a lawsuit challenging the suspension.
Fike’s attorney, Lake County Commissioner Anthony Sabatini -- a two-time congressional candidate with a history of pushing anti-LGBTQ legislation -- told the Orlando Sentinel that Fike was reinstated following a preliminary hearing on July 16.
These are challenging times for news organizations. And yet it’s crucial we stay active and provide vital resources and information to both our local readers and the world. So won’t you please take a moment and consider supporting Metro Weekly with a membership? For as little as $5 a month, you can help ensure Metro Weekly magazine and MetroWeekly.com remain free, viable resources as we provide the best, most diverse, culturally-resonant LGBTQ coverage in both the D.C. region and around the world. Memberships come with exclusive perks and discounts, your own personal digital delivery of each week’s magazine (and an archive), access to our Member's Lounge when it launches this fall, and exclusive members-only items like Metro Weekly Membership Mugs and Tote Bags! Check out all our membership levels here and please join us today!
You must be logged in to post a comment.