Conservative education circles just got a headline that reads like a plot twist. Corey DeAngelis, known for his advocacy of school vouchers, charter schools, and other conservative education policies, has been named a research fellow at the Heritage Foundation in its Center for Education Policy, as first reported by The Daily Wire.
DeAngelis called the position “a tremendous honor”, praising Heritage as “the world’s leading conservative think tank” and saying he’s excited to “lock arms with an education team stacked with the best talent in the education freedom movement” to expand school choice across the nation.
For LGBTQ readers, though, the story comes with a hefty side of irony.
A Past That Raises Eyebrows
In 2024, a blog called Str8 Up Gay Porn highlighted a performer named “Seth Rose” appearing in several gay adult films dating back to 2014 on the site GayHoopla. We Googled Seth Rose and then, well, that caused other things to happen. The performer, who bears a resemblance to Corey DeAngelis, appears in solo or alongside other men, but the videos do not depict sexual contact with others.
The story sparked online chatter because of the apparent resemblance between DeAngelis and the performer, which was then later confirmed by DeAngelis in an interview.
At the time, DeAngelis was a senior fellow at the American Federation for Children, a far-right nonprofit co-founded by Trump’s first-term Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, where he had been a prominent advocate for school choice, charter schools, and vouchers. However, he did indirectly address the controversy at the time on X:
“As an activist for parental rights and school choice, my passion is personal. Just like everyone else, I have made mistakes throughout my life, learned from those mistakes, used that as an opportunity to grow and tried to channel that experience into something positive. I was a victim of poor decisions and poor influences. I have turned that experience into the fuel that fires me to save young people from being put in the same position I was put in and to help parents protect their children. I will never stop fighting for what is right.
The irony is striking: DeAngelis has spent much of his career publicly criticizing “woke ideology” in schools and promoting conservative education policies often criticized as anti-LGBTQ, yet this alleged past in queer adult entertainment continues to generate conversation and online memes.
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Criticism From LGBTQ Advocates
It’s no surprise that LGBTQ advocacy groups have called out the hire. In an interview with The Advocate, Sarah Kate Ellis, president of GLAAD, criticized Heritage for putting someone with a history of anti-LGBTQ stances in a role influencing education policy:
“Corey DeAngelis is yet another public figure whose anti-LGBTQ extremism already makes him deeply unqualified to be an expert in improving safety and education at school… [He] further reveals his baseless, hypocritical attempt to profiteer and score political points.”
Ellis also warned about the larger implications, saying:
“The real threat is from the people who’ve propped him up and their Project 2025 blueprint for a government takeover that would demolish the Department of Education and refuse to recognize rising LGBTQ visibility and acceptance across society.”
Heritage’s Defense
Heritage, of course, is standing by the hire. Jonathan Butcher, acting director of the Center for Education Policy, praised DeAngelis’s research and advocacy work, while Jay W. Richards, vice president of social and domestic policy at Heritage, added:
“We are thrilled to welcome Corey DeAngelis.” Adding, “[He] brings a rare combination of rigorous research, real-world policy engagement, and an unwavering focus on empowering families.”
In short: yes, they know about his past. Yes, they know about the controversy. And yes, they are moving forward as if nothing happened.
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The Takeaway for LGBTQ Readers
For queer readers, the story reads like a mix of political theater and dark comedy. A man who once appeared in gay adult films is now shaping policy at a conservative think tank whose positions often run counter to queer inclusion in schools. The juxtaposition is hard to ignore and even harder not to roll your eyes at.
Ultimately, DeAngelis’s story is a reminder that political credibility sometimes trumps personal history, no matter how ironic it seems. And for those who love a good plot twist, it’s a headline that practically writes itself.