It seems like former YouTube and Vine star Lohanthony is denouncing his homosexuality in a recent video where he chronicles his newfound religious beliefs.
According to a post from The Daily Dot, the 21-year-old content creator (whose real name is Anthony Quintal) posted a 42-minute long vlog to his YouTube channel over the weekend where he talks to viewers about his recent religious journey and opens up about the heartbreaking sexual abuse he suffered at the hands of an older boy.
In his video, though, Lohanthony also claims his sexuality (which he repeatedly refers to as "same-sex attraction") played a part in his battles with addiction, substance abuse, and seeking internet fame.
"It’s no coincidence that through pursuing my same-sex attraction, I was also addicted to alcohol, I was also addicted to weed, I was also trying hallucinogenics, I was also addicted to money, I was addicted to views, I was addicted to attention," he said.
He continued:
"The holy spirit received me fully and changed me entirely into who God originally intended me to be: free from sin, held by forgiveness, and guided by his pure goodness, guided by God’s love."
Lohanthony made a name for himself in the early 2010s with his comedic internet videos and was an early part of the mainstream rise of meme culture. Though his YouTube channel has currently been wiped of all content except his two most recent posts about Christianity, one of his earliest and most popular videos was his iconic "Calling all the basic bitches!" clip where he twirls his leg in the air. He publicly came out on YouTube, and over the years has been vocal and proud about being a part of the LGBTQ+ community.
As The Daily Dot also points out, Lohanthony's fans and viewers were shocked at the sudden change of tone in his videos, and some have even speculated that he is a victim of conversion therapy, the extremely harmful and scientifically discredited practice of trying to change someone's sexuality.
Many expressed their concerns for Lohanthony on Twitter.
\u201cNot Lohanthony coming out as a homophobic Christian in 2020... not THIS Lohanthony... not Anthony \u201cLoHaNtHoNy\u2019S vIdEo Of ThE wEeEeEeEeEk\u201d Quintal...\u201d— Radwaa (@Radwaa) 1598078699
None— Mitch (@Mitch) 1598130533
\u201ci\u2019m so concerned for lohanthony. it sounds like he\u2019s blaming himself for getting molested as a child. it sounds like he\u2019s blaming getting molested as to why he\u2019s gay. this is concerning as fuck. idc that he\u2019s christian cause i want him to live his mf life but this is concerning.\u201d— MILFLuver86 (@MILFLuver86) 1598070040
\u201cthere\u2019s something extremely sketchy about the lohanthony situation like you don\u2019t just somehow find god at 21 and then blame your abuse/addiction on being gay\u201d— rebecca (@rebecca) 1598079433
\u201cLohanthony preaching conversion therapy and telling us homosexuality is wrong was not on my 2020 bingo card \ud83d\ude14\u201d— Ben Yahr (@Ben Yahr) 1598126626
\u201ci was watching a lohanthony vine compilation and i just can\u2019t believe he went from this to where he is now.\u201d— gage ! has moved to @antihopefui (@gage ! has moved to @antihopefui) 1598082684
PRIDE will update this story as more develops.
