rights
Disgraced drag queen & congressman George Santos will compete in physically intense military reality TV show
By Daniel Villarreal at LGBTQ Nation
· July 16, 2026
· 2 min read
Disgraced gay former drag queen and Rep. George Santos (R-NY) will appear in the fifth season of Fox's jungle survival reality TV competition Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test alongside 14 other contestants, including gender-fluid and lesbian actress Ruby Rose and former Full House actress Canda
Key takeaway The series will premier on September 24.
Why this matters
George Santos' participation in the reality TV show Special Forces: World's Toughest Test raises questions about the intersection of LGBTQ+ representation and personal credibility. As a disgraced former congressman who cosponsored bills to roll back LGBTQ+ civil rights and made public statements against transgender people, Santos' involvement in the show may be seen as an attempt to rebrand himself. However, his actions and statements while in office have had real-world consequences for the LGBTQ+ community, and his presence on the show may be perceived as a distraction from the harm he has caused. The show's diverse cast, including gender-fluid and lesbian actress Ruby Rose, may provide a contrast to Santos' own complicated history with the LGBTQ+ community, highlighting the complexities of representation and accountability in the public eye. As the show premieres, it will be worth watching how Santos' past actions are addressed, if at all, and how they impact his reception by the audience and his fellow contestants.
About this story
Original reporting by LGBTQ Nation . LGBTQ News surfaces reporting from trusted publishers and adds local editorial context so readers can quickly understand what a story means for their community. We attribute every source, link to the original report, and follow a documented editorial standards policy. To understand how stories are selected and reviewed, read our about page .
For the complete original report, visit LGBTQ Nation . Have a tip or correction? Contact our newsroom .
Category: rights ·
Published: July 16, 2026 ·
Source: LGBTQ Nation ·
Reading time: 2 min
Get more LGBTQ News stories like this
Free weekly briefing covering rights and other local news. Curated by our editorial team. No spam.
By subscribing you agree to our privacy policy . Unsubscribe anytime.
Frequently asked about this story
What is this story about? Disgraced gay former drag queen and Rep. George Santos (R-NY) will appear in the fifth season of Fox's jungle survival reality TV competition Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test alongside 14 other contestants, including gender-fluid and lesbian actress Ruby Rose and former Full House actress Canda
When was this published? This article was first published on July 16, 2026 by LGBTQ Nation and curated for LGBTQ News readers.
Who reported this story? This story was reported by Daniel Villarreal at LGBTQ Nation. To learn more about how LGBTQ News selects and reviews stories, see our editorial standards .
Where can I find related coverage? See more rights coverage from LGBTQ News, or browse our daily briefing and topic hubs .