Hunter Avallone

[[File:Hunter Avallone.jpg|thumb|right|165px|Avallone.]]{{Youtubenav}}
'''Hunter Vincent Avallone''' {{lived|November 11, 1996}} is an [[United States|American]] centrist political commentator, [[YouTube]]r, and Twitch streamer. He is best known for his formerly [[Christian]] conservative views, his now-deleted video "The [[Truthiness|Truth]] About Transgenders''[sic]''";<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20160623010049/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiBzaN3uuik The Truth about Transgenders]. Archived from the original at YouTube, 12 February 2016.</ref> and his video-responses to various [[liberal]] and left-wing YouTube commentators.

== Views on LGBT issues ==
Avallone initially had a socially conservative approach to LGBT issues; opposing same sex marriage and transgender rights. Avallone now supports LGBT rights, including same-sex marriage and transgender rights.<ref name="left the right">[https://youtu.be/Oh4yyxtNkPk?t=1054 Why I left the Right] Hunter Avallone (2020) YouTube.com</ref> 

===Evolution of viewpoint===
Avallone first gained national recognition in 2016 with his video "The Truth about Transgenders". Several LGBT websites criticized his reputed transphobia.<ref name=pride>[http://www.pride.com/transgender/2016/3/03/5-blatant-lies-hunter-avallones-transphobic-rant 5 Blatant Lies in Hunter Avallone's Transphobic Rant], Pride.com, 3 March 2016</ref><ref name=wetpaint>[http://www.wetpaint.com/hunter-avallone-transphobic-video-1476913/ YouTube Star Hunter Avallone Posts Egregiously Transphobic Video], Wet Paint, Function X, 3 March 2016</ref>  In the video, he quotes professor {{wpl|Paul R. McHugh}}, a prominent opponent of gender confirmation surgery,<ref>[http://www.wsj.com/articles/paul-mchugh-transgender-surgery-isnt-the-solution-1402615120 Transgender Surgery Isn't the Solution], Wall Street Journal, Paul McHugh, 26 October 2016</ref> despite much of the research McHugh references being outdated or misrepresented.<ref>Brighe,  Mari. [http://transadvocate.com/clinging-to-a-dangerous-past-dr-paul-mchughs-selective-reading-of-transgender-medical-literature_n_13842.htm Clinging to a dangerous past: Dr Paul McHugh’s selective reading of transgender medical literature]. ''Transadvocate''. Published 2014-06-15.</ref><ref>[http://www.slate.com/blogs/outward/2014/06/16/the_wall_street_journal_displays_shocking_ignorance_about_lgbtq_issues.html The Wall Street Journal’s Ignorance on LGBTQ Issues Is Alarming], Slate, June 16, 2014</ref> After being called out by anarcho-syndicalist BreadTuber [[Vaush]] for incorrectly using "transgenders" as a noun, as well as criticizing a number of his videos, Avallone retitled the video "The Truth About Trans People", but this did not last long as the video is now deleted, and a debate was held between Vaush and Avallone. He has since changed his opinion regarding trans people, now believing gender is different from sex, and supports trans rights.
	
Avallone's video on the Target bathroom boycott has also gained notoriety. Avallone believes that allowing transgender individuals to use the bathroom that corresponds to their gender identity affects the rights of others, and will risk [[think of the children|the safety of children]]. Even so, he claims that he doesn't hate transgender people, and believes that "they should have equality and equal rights just like everyone else".<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20160615102600/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwOYL_-_5io The Truth about Target's Bathroom Policy]. Archived from the original at YouTube, 13 May 2016.</ref>

His views on [[same-sex marriage]] evolved as well, most likely due to losing his faith and announcing that he is an atheist. In a podcast, he stated that he initially believed that it was a sin, but changed his mind about it.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIKF8m_PTSI Warski Live #19 - Hunter Avallone]. ''YouTube''. Channel: Andywarski. Published 2017-05-05.</ref> In a discussion he had with fellow atheist [[Jaclyn Glenn]] during 2018, he stated that he was libertarian on the issue and supported equal marriage, so long as the pesky queers "don't try and shove it in my face."<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZUclqj2q3U=22m38s Hunter Avallone & Jaclyn Glenn - Live Discussion]. ''YouTube''. Channel: Hunter Avallone. Published 2018-03-21.</ref> Avallone has some affinity for mocking and ridiculing LGBT activists, as seen by his "Dear Gay People" and "Trolling the Pride March" videos.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20170824002913/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZokLElgJvk Dear Gay People]. Archived from the original at ''YouTube''. Channel: Hunter Avallone. Published 2017-07-11. </ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcr1p1HweOg Trolling the PRIDE MARCH!]. ''YouTube''. Channel: Hunter Avallone. Published 2018-06-11.</ref> His current stance on these takes is not clear, given he published a video claiming he had "left the right" in 2020 and indicated he held some embarrassment about his earlier videos.<ref name="left the right"></ref> He later started debunking some of his own earlier videos.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxadiIUy-MY Debunking MYSELF: Black Lives Matter], Hunter Avallone, ''YouTube'' 16 September 2020</ref>

== Political views==
Avallone supported [[Donald Trump]] during the 2016 presidential election.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmSyWdT155g Why I Love Donald Trump]. ''YouTube''. Channel: Hunter Avallone. Published 2016-09-16.</ref> He identifies as [[pro-life]] (although he believes abortion should be legal),<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuJJowJikdk The Problem with Abortion]. ''YouTube''. Channel: Hunter Avallone. Published 2016-08-19.</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBCy84fiEmY Taking the Political Compass Test! (FINALLY)]. ''YouTube''. Channel: Hunter Avallone. Published 2020-11-20.</ref> is a vegan,<ref>[https://youtu.be/8LVOqph5HkI]''YouTube''. Channel: Hunter Avallone. Published 2019-05-06</ref> and supports moderate [[gun control]].<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGwmuioKmo4 The Truth about Gun Control]. ''YouTube''. Channel: Hunter Avallone. Published 2016-06-24.</ref>

On June 25, 2017, Avallone expressed his intention to attend a "Freedom of Speech Rally" being held the next day in Washington DC, which featured [[alt-right]] leader and white nationalist [[Richard Spencer]] as the headlining speaker.<ref>[https://archive.fo/7CQMm Archive of Facebook Event page for Richard Spencer rally]</ref>

From at least 2020 onwards, Avallone no longer identified himself as a conservative and instead opted to call himself a centrist "free thinker." He affirmed non-binary identities, claimed to like [[Bernie Sanders]] (while unsure of who to vote for), expressed an openness to the consideration of single-payer healthcare, and heavily criticized popular conservative figures such as Joel Patrick,<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvEaqkxEiJE i've been exposed]. ''Youtube''. Channel: Hunter Avallone. Published 2020-02-06.</ref> [[Kaitlin Bennett]],<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAu7VQguM0U Kaitlin Bennett is an idiot]. ''Youtube''. Channel: Hunter Avallone. Published 2020-02-03.</ref> Ashley St. Clair,<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2KuRnJ9TEc Exposing Ashley StClair: Right Wing Fraud]. ''Youtube''. Channel: Hunter Avallone. Published 2020-08-11.</ref> [[Blaire White]],<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCwozXKCEhc Hunter Avallone explains why he doesn't like Blaire White]. ''Youtube''. Channel: Hunter Avallone Clips. Published 2020-02-21.</ref> and [[Steven Crowder]]. In a video titled "Why I Left the Right", published on April 12, 2020, Avallone confirmed that he no longer identifies himself as a conservative. Avallone recounted that the birth of his child, Rose, and his breakup and marriage, as well as his roasting at the Vaush debate, caused him to go through a low point in life which made him reconsider his political views. Avallone still holds conservative outlooks on topics such as abortion and immigration, but is more liberal in terms of topics such as the socioeconomic struggles of African-Americans.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oh4yyxtNkPk Why I Left the Right]</ref> 

On October 13, 2020, Avallone announced his reluctant support of [[Joe Biden]] on Twitter, calling Trump "unhinged and a threat to our countries' founding principles."<ref>[https://twitter.com/HunterAA6/status/1315997026602176515 Hunter Avallone] on Twitter. Published 2020-10-13.</ref>

== Creationism ==
Back in the day, Avallone used to make creationist videos, which sometimes resulted in [[Jaclyn Glenn]] making response videos. However, in a video about fat-shaming, he made an evolutionary argument as to why fat people are overall less attractive, implying that he has dropped his creationist beliefs.

== Atheism ==
Avallone made an Instagram post on June 11, 2017 announcing that he turned to atheism.<ref>Avallone, H. (June 10, 2017). [https://www.instagram.com/p/BVLcaRjjeSw/?hl=en&taken-by=hunteravallon]. ''Instagram''. Retrieved October 29. 2017.</ref> He began heavily criticizing Christianity and religion in 2022, later posting a video “Why I Left Christianity” detailing his loss of faith and how Christianity negatively affected him. Avallone has also criticized [[Islam]] and [[Muhammad]] as a [[pedophile]], calling Muslims who worship him pedophile apologists in reference to Muhammad’s alleged child marriage.

== Ableism ==
Avallone has a history of ableist comments. In several now-deleted videos from back when he was a conservative, he ridiculed [[Antifa]], [[Cenk Uygur]] and actor Jon Hamm as being [[Autism|autistic]] and claimed that Patrick Star from ''Spongebob Squarepants'' "acts autistic". Although he later retracted many of his conservative views, this is clearly not one of them, as since becoming a centrist he has used the term "sperg", a slur used to refer to people with [[Asperger's syndrome]], against white nationalist Vincent James<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSsNnpQkEQU "Who can blame them?!" Nazi Vincent James DEFENDS Incel Violence]</ref>, mocked fans of gay conservative Christian Walker by calling them "autistic cringelords"<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pw5qpv-baIs Pride Month Successfully Triggers EVERYONE!]</ref>, accused [[Matt Walsh]]<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPuXrbY0gZM Losing it as Matt Walsh "Debunks" Gay Marriage]</ref> and [[Michael J. Knowles]]<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCyfKY5aots The SAD TRUTH about FBI Trump Raid]</ref> of being special needs and insulted a particularly stupid conservative he argued with on his stream by calling him disabled.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzE6-4fXX5o "CIVIL RIGHTS ACT WAS WRONG!" - Debating Unhinged "Classical Liberal"]</ref> In general, Avallone appears to imply with all these comments that stupid people he responds to must be autistic or otherwise disabled because only someone like that would be so stupid. In fairness though, he has indicated that he regrets using autism as an insult in some of his old videos.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JtE5FDuT6E Debunking MY OLD RACIST VIDEO! - Hunter REKTS Hunter]</ref>

This is especially hypocritical because Avallone acknowledges the harm that edgy humour can do to marginalized groups, refusing to make jokes about gay or trans people anymore because of this.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_PA546ULCE&t=334s Hunter vs Hunter: LGBT DEBATE]</ref> But apparently this doesn't apply to people with disabilities like autism which, like transgenderism, are heavily stigmatized due to people with views being perpetuated by people like Avallone. 
Almost as if he doesn't actually care about normalization so much as what edgy humour he can still get away with.


== Vaccines ==
Avallone is pro-vaccine and has debated several anti-vaccine activists, having taken the [[COVID-19 vaccine]] twice. He has also claimed that he had a strange side effect on his second shot that gave him a “nearly uncontrollable urge to download [[Microsoft]] Internet Explorer” and refused to get any boosters afterwards.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/live/lfE6eQKyF_w?feature=share&t=1170 </ref><ref>https://www.instagram.com/p/COOSkSvn-uZ/</ref>

== Online debates ==
Avallone has taken part in several online debates against [[Youtube]] and other online figures from a variety of political backgrounds, including [[Destiny (person)|Destiny]],<ref>Bonnell, S. K. II. (Dec 5, 2017) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJAYuHQZQ88 Destiny, Blaire White, Andy Warski, and More - Pedophilia Debate]. ''Youtube''. Channel: Destiny. Published 2017-12-05.</ref> a progressive twitch gaming streamer who has also become known for political debates, [[Vaush]],<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-kQGo2rA0U DEBATE w/ Hunter Avallone]. ''YouTube''. Channel:Vaush. Published 2019-06-15.</ref> an anarcho-syndicalist and anti-reactionary Youtuber and [[Vegan Gains]],<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQD5rvl8Mh4 Hunter Avallone vs Vegan Gains LIVE Abortion Debate attempt 2]. ''YouTube''. Channel: Vegan Gains. Published 2019-07-31.</ref> vegan Youtuber and bodybuilder. Avallone has also debated individuals with little to no online presence from friend groups and individuals he met at public protests.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N12GA8Q9LLY Hunter Avallone vs College Liberal - Offended America #1]. ''YouTube''. Channel: Offended America. Published 2017-08-07.</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8_11ssDJkE LIVE DEBATE with CRAZY LIBERAL CHICK!]. ''YouTube''. Channel: Hunter Avallone. Published 2019-02-21.</ref>

==See also==
*[[Blaire White]] - Former arch-nemesis, transgender woman, another fellow conservative, used to call each other "faggot" when asked about the other. How adorable.
*[[Mel Gibson]] - Favourite actor/director, fan of his work on screen (especially his rants).
*[[Andrew Jackson]] - Greatest President in the history of the United States of America, race-relations expert, knew how to deal with foreigners, treated black people with the respect they deserved, wanted to disband the [[Electoral College]] to stay in power.{{lie}}
*[[Kaitlin Bennett]] - Arch-nemesis.

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Avallone, Hunter}}
[[Category:Ableism]]
[[Category:Anti-immigration]]
[[Category:Atheists]]
[[Category:Bloggers]]
[[Category:Food woo promoters]]
[[Category:Transphobes]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Rightists who turned left with age]]
[[Category:Shysters]]
[[Category:YouTube]]

Categories: Ableism, Anti-immigration, Atheists, Bloggers, Food woo promoters, Transphobes, Living people, Rightists who turned left with age, Shysters, YouTube