US think tank Heritage Foundation hires former gay porn star turned anti-LGBTQ+ education activist

The Heritage Foundation has hired conservative education activist Corey DeAngelis as a research fellow in its Center for Education Policy.

The Washington, D.C.-based think tank confirmed the appointment this week, marking his return to a prominent policy role after right-wing backlash over his past in gay adult films.

Heritage said DeAngelis will focus on expanding “school choice”, challenging teachers’ unions and contributing to debates around race and gender in education.

“We are thrilled to welcome Corey DeAngelis to Heritage’s Center for Education Policy” – Jay W. Richards, Heritage’s vice president of social and domestic policy

The appointment was first reported by The Daily Wire. DeAngelis called the role “a tremendous honor” and described Heritage as “the world’s leading conservative think tank”.

Jonathan Butcher, acting director of the centre, said: “Corey has produced high-quality research demonstrating the effectiveness of education choice and regularly exposes policymakers who choose private schools for their own families but deny such choices to others.”

Jay W. Richards, Heritage’s vice president of social and domestic policy, added: “We are thrilled to welcome Corey DeAngelis to Heritage’s Center for Education Policy. Corey brings a rare combination of rigorous research, real-world policy engagement, and an unwavering focus on empowering families.”

DeAngelis appeared in gay adult films during his university years under the pseudonym “Seth Rose”

DeAngelis has been active in conservative education policy for several years. He has promoted vouchers, charter schools and education savings accounts and has also held roles with the Cato Institute and the Hoover Institution. He was listed as a contributor to Project 2025, a conservative policy blueprint proposing major changes to federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Education.

In 2024, DeAngelis confirmed he had appeared in gay adult films during his university years under the pseudonym “Seth Rose”. The videos circulated online after stills were posted by a blog.

The disclosure led to his departure from the American Federation for Children, where he had been a senior fellow. Speaking to the Christian Broadcasting Network at the time, he said: “If I was able to be lured in to make bad decisions as a young adult in college, just imagine how much worse it could be for younger people.”