US anti-gay billboard model is gay South African

In a surprising twist, the model featured in a controversial anti-gay billboard in the US is not only gay, but is also South African.

The billboard, put up by an “ex-gay” group along a major highway in Richmond, Virginia, shows the faces purported to be those of male twins and reads: “Identical twins: One gay. One not.”

The sign further proclaims: “We believe twins research studies show NOBODY IS BORN GAY.”

Ironically, it now turns out that the so-called identical twins shown are actually one man in two different photos – Kyle Roux from Cape Town.

An openly gay man, Roux posed for the pictures in a stock photo shoot nearly a decade ago.

Shocked, he contacted Virginia TV station NBC12 to let them know that he’s “out and proud” and doesn’t support the billboard’s message.

“It just seems like there no place in today’s world for an organisation that is promoting this as being some kind of deviant or distasteful lifestyle, because I’ve lived my life openly gay and happy for my entire life,” Roux said.

“It’s actually quite a big thing that there is this kind of discrimination and borderline hate speech going on, you know,” he added.

The billboard was put up by Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays and Gays (PFOX), which claims that homosexuality is a choice or a learned behaviour that can be “fixed.”

Scientists and activists have pointed out, however, that PFOX has misinterpreted the twins studies it references. The author of one of the studies, Dr J. Michael Bailey, has stated that science has shown that at least in men, “sexual orientation is completely inborn.”

The billboard company said that while the message does not reflect its own views the sign will stay up until 4 January.