Aaron Schock has faced backlash after sharing photos of himself holidaying in Brazil with other influencers as coronavirus cases surge. (Instagram)
Aaron Schock is facing backlash once again after he shared photos of himself holidaying in Brazil as coronavirus case numbers surge in the United States.
The disgraced former Republican congressman, who came out as gay in March, shared an image of himself in Bahia, Brazil, on 2 January.
“Pointed in the right direction,” Schock captioned the post, which showed him dressed all in white under a light-up sculpture.
He appeared to still be holidaying in Brazil on 4 January when he shared an image of himself and three others – including influencer Alec Rugo – gathered close together outdoors. None of the men wore face masks in the photo.
Rugo later shared a boomerang on his Instagram stories showing the men drinking espresso martinis in a bar. While only one of the influencers was in the video, all of the men were tagged.
Aaron Schock was called out by GaysOverCovid Instagram account
Schock’s holiday abroad with friends was first highlighted on the GaysOverCovid Instagram Stories, an account that was set up to name and shame gay men partying and travelling abroad in the pandemic, despite the escalating public health crisis.
Sharing images of Schock in Brazil with friends, GaysOverCovid wrote: “Is this a SCHOCK to anyone?”
Schock and Rugo have faced significant backlash on social media for their trip abroad.
Nice to see upstanding citizens Aaron Schock and Alec Rugo having a low-key weekend at home pic.twitter.com/FMg2KNPceD
— Puerto Vallarta NYE 🥰😍 (@gaysovercovid) January 2, 2021
Big surprise. @aaronschock is still a trash person #GaysOverCovid https://t.co/L1A7p2v8EH
— Andy Kenareki (@AndyKenareki) January 5, 2021
.@aaronschock is also a traveling covidiot who went to Brazil to party maskless for NYE. But we don’t claim him in the gay community since he is a nasty republican hypocrite who’s not straight, but definitely not one of us.. #GaysOverCovid pic.twitter.com/8bBNSrFAXC
— Chris Weidner (@CWNewser) January 5, 2021
Imagine being proud that you and @aaronschock are both at the same place at the same time…😂😂🤡🤡
— Dylan H (@dylanhorner96) January 5, 2021
The pair have also faced criticism from LGBT+ people on Instagram, with one commenting on Rugo’s post: “Disgusting you give us [gays] a bad name. You’re truly nothing more than a plague rat.”
The controversy comes just months after Schock came under fire for “quarantining” in Mexico with a group of shirtless men.
The former congressman faced a storm of criticism after he and other white gay men gathered in the resort city of Cabo San Lucas in April 2020, during the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic.
Rugo was one of the men quarantining with Schock in Mexico in April.
Schock came out as gay in March in a winding Instagram post that proved divisive for the community.
As a lawmaker, he had ardently opposed a number of pro-LGBT+ measures, including marriage equality and the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”.
PinkNews has contacted Schock for comment.
The controversy is just the latest to befall high-profile gay influencers, many of whom flocked to resorts in Mexico and Brazil to ring in the New Year, despite the fact that coronavirus cases and deaths continue to surge in the United States and other parts of the world.
One anonymous queer person has taken it upon themselves to publicly share information about gay influencers travelling abroad and going to parties as the pandemic worsens. The “GaysOverCovid” Instagram account has gained more than 100,000 followers since it was set up.
Gay men attending one circuit party in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, got more than they bargained for on 31 December when the boat they were celebrating on sank.
Startling mobile phone footage uploaded to social media showed the moment blue waves engulfed the PV Delice Party Cruise catamaran.
Puerto Vallarta has been observing some of Mexico’s strongest restrictions, prohibiting mass public gatherings of more than eight people, as regional hospitals reach tipping points – but that has not stopped legions of gay men descending on the resort in recent weeks.