Some Gay Voters Say It's 'Dangerous' to Come Out for Trump

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Following Sunday's mass shooting at an Orlando gay bar, presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has voiced - and tweeted - his support for the LGBTQ community. And some in the community have expressed their support for Trump."He's the most pro-gay nominee that the party has ever had for president," according to Gregory T. Angelo, president of the Log Cabin Republicans, an organization for LGBTQ people and straight allies who support the GOP.A number of gay men who have decided to throw their support behind Trump told NBC OUT it has not been an easy road.

Juan Hernandez, a gay and Latino member of the Log Cabin Republicans, said his support led to physical violence by anti-Trump protesters at a rally in San Jose. Images of the attack and his bloodied clothes went viral."This is politics. Debate is OK," Hernandez said. "When you start getting violent and throwing out derogatory terms, that's not OK."Hernandez, who switched to the GOP after realizing his views outside of LGBTQ issues were more conservative, said he was a target even before the rally in San Jose. Other members of the LGBTQ and Latino communities, he said, have singled him out for his Trump support. "They'll email me or send me messages. They say that I'm a sellout," he explained.

Eric, a 25-year-old gay Marine Corps veteran, was a Trump supporter before the Orlando shooting, but he said the attack - and the dangers he believes "radical Islam" poses to the gay community - has reinforced his support."Donald Trump has taken charge," he said." I'm gonna go for his stance on immigration and rebuilding the military."But while Eric is a vocal Trump supporter, he declined to provide his last name due to fear of violence or "doxxing," the malicious publication of a private citizen's personal information online."When you put your name out on a national level as supporting someone who attracts that much vitriol and disgust, you're putting yourself up for doxxing ... Especially for someone like me who's considered a 'traitor,'" added Eric, who is a member of LGBTrump, an online network for LGBTQ people who support the GOP presidential hopeful.

So will gay Republicans be wearing Trump 2016 t-shirts and "Make America Great Again" hats at LGBTQ Pride events this year? Eric said it's unlikely."It's easy to come out of the closet," he said. "It's dangerous to come out as a Trump supporter."