Controversy Erupts in Philadelphia Gayborhood Over Event Featuring Trump-Supporting Teresa Giudice

On Thursday night, Real Housewives of New Jersey star Teresa Giudice is set to headline a charity event in Philadelphia at Valanni, a bar in the city’s Gayborhood. And, according to Philadelphia LGBTQ magazine G Philly, some are none too happy about her inclusion given her open support for president Donald Trump.

“We are seeing gay bars being taken over by heterosexuals and continuing to fail at getting their diversity problems right, and we ask, how does this keep happening?” local DJ Sharyn Stone told G Philly. “It happens when we invite Trump-supporting housewives into our spaces and give them paychecks with our gay money.”

One Valanni employee was uncomfortable with Giudice’s presence, as well.

“I feel uncomfortable with Teresa making money off of LGBTQ people Trump wants to take their rights away from,” the anonymous employee told Philadelphia. “When I found out she was coming this week, I was not as excited as some of the other staff were.”

In the past, Giuidice has downplayed Trump’s history of sexual assault, saying that his accusers were looking for their “15 minutes of fame.”

Philadelphia’s Gayborhood is no stranger to controversy. The gay quarter has been at the center of a years-long conversation on racism in the LGBTQ community. The conversation went national this year after Philadelphia released a version of the LGBTQ flag with black and brown stripes.