Teens On TikTok Are Dealing With Anxiety About A Hypothetical Mike Pence Presidency

To many liberals and Democrats and even a handful of Republicans, it seems very important to get Donald Trump out of office. It also seems possible, what with his impeachment trial and all. Whether or not it will ever actually happen is another matter. His first term is almost up, the next election looms, and to really distract everybody, Trump seems to be kick-starting a war with Iran. But if it did happen, the U.S. wouldn’t be free and clear of crazy White House administrators. The next in line for the presidency would be Mike Pence.

Pence is famous for being extremely religious, to the point where he won’t be alone with another woman unless his wife is with him. As the governor of Indiana, he was known to be a serious homophobe and proponent of conversion therapy, an abusive practice that tries to turn LGBTQ kids “straight.” It’s both impossible and traumatizing to try!

The idea of this man being in charge is pretty terrifying for a lot LGBTQ+ teens out there, but unlike Mike Pence, the teens are cool. They have a sense of humor. They get how stupid his ideology is. And they’re making fun of it on their platform of choice: TikTok.

TikTok is currently full of videos posted under the hashtags #pence and #mikepence that mock the VP and joke about what the world will be like when he has his way.

There are many different types of videos, but some common themes are how confusing things will be at “gay conversion camp.”

@rehab.enrolleeHas this been done? #pence #fyp #scienceismagic♬ Want U Back – Cher Lloyd

@queercasGAY CAMP RULES #gaycamp #meetmyfam #lastminutexmas #lovemybffbut #mikepence #summercamp #queer #gay #bi #lgbt♬ original sound – queercas

@ojw_3#impeachment #pence #summercamp #lgbtq♬ original sound – ïtšÿãgîrł

Another meme on TikTok comes from user aaronjohn120, according to the Daily Dot, and it uses an 11-second audio clip where a police officers knocks and demands the teen open up. They’re usually caught doing something stereotypically “gay,” like using makeup or giving themselves an asymmetrical haircut. When the police officer asks why, the teen answers, “You guys are gonna yell at me.”

@dan.fedakAnd THATS on my rights #fyp #foryou #lgbt #gay #mikepence #conversiontherapy♬ Open up its the police – aaronjohn120

@the_gay__rifle#fyp #lesbian #lesbianforyou #mikepence #summercamp #mikepencesummercamp #lgbt #foryourpage♬ Open up its the police – aaronjohn120

@tyler.mylesWhy is this actually me♬ Open up its the police – aaronjohn120


Taylor Swift has also been dragged into it, as videos use her song “You Should Have Said No” to illustrate moments where the teens shouldn’t have admitted to being queer because it put them in danger:

@codog3Only the cool kids get it???? #fy#fyp#foryou#featureme#summercamp#mikepence♬ Should’ve Said No – Taylor Swift

@b.caèlynI hope no ones done this yet???? #mikepence #justajoke #impeached #takeajoke #mikepencecamp #LGBTQ♬ Should’ve Said No – Taylor Swift

@ethanlusbyInstant karma lmao ???? check out my YouTube! And say hi on insta 🙂 #foryou #fyp♬ Should’ve Said No – Taylor Swift


May the teens grow into actual voters as soon as possible. They’re the only ones with their heads on straight.