A Republican from North Carolina who has lobbied for the state's ban on gay marriage used to work as a drag queen at a gay bar, the Winston-Salem Journal reported Saturday.
Steve Wiles, who is currently campaigning for the state Senate, has spoken publicly in support of reinstating the state's same-sex marriage ban. But former co-workers of the anti-gay Republican said Wiles, 34, used to be a female impersonator at a gay club in Winston-Salem and that Whiles was gay back then, the newspaper reported.
"He is Mona Sinclair," Randy Duggins, co-owner of Club Odyssey, told the newspaper of Wiles' stage name.
Wiles was reportedly the emcee at Club Odyssey, which is no longer in business, during his early '20s. Wiles, or Miss Mona Sinclair, was also the show director and booked other drag queen performers.
"That's definitely him," Duggins told the newspaper. "I have no ax to grind against him. I just think he's a liar."
Initially, Wiles denied the allegations. But the Republican, who used to be affiliated as a Democrat, admitted to Business Insider that he used to perform under the stage name "Miss Mona Sinclair." He stopped after he realized it was not for him.
"I think that everyone has their own choices to make and I'm fine with everyone making their own," Wiles said. "For me, from a religious standpoint, just for my life, for me, it just was not something that I wanted to continue."
Wiles also denied allegations about his homosexuality.
"No," Wiles told Business Insider when asked if he was gay. "I really won't make any comments on that."
A now deleted page on the website for Miss Gay America said Wiles worked as a promoter for the pageant's North Carolina division, according to the Journal.
Wiles, who is now a real estate agent, was campaigning for the May 6 primary elections. His campaign website, Twitter and Facebook page were deleted as of Monday.
