Culture

Is Biden's Newly Appointed Monkeypox Deputy Director A Satanist? Here's What We Know About Demetre Daskalakis

The Deputy Coordinator for Monkeypox, Demetre Daskalakis, has gained some attention on social media for his taste in "Satanic" imagery.

By Nicole Dominique1 min read
Demetre Daskalakis > Satanist
Instagram/@drdemetre

Demetre Daskalakis was recently appointed as White House National Monkeypox Response Deputy Coordinator to assist with the management of the monkeypox outbreak. He was chosen to work on outreach for the LGBTQ+ community, a group that has been affected by the virus. Nicknamed "the radical gay doctor" by NBC, Daskalakis has also served as the director of the CDC’s Division of HIV Prevention since 2020. He made headlines this week when users found photos of him in multiple shirts that showcased a pentagram (which he also has a tattoo of on his chest). The Church of Satan’s sigil is a pentagram of Baphomet, the goat deity often associated with Satanism. However, mass media claims these are baseless rumors initially fueled by the far-right, and Daskalakis has since set his Instagram account to private.

He Loves the Pentagram and Follows a Satanist

Apparently, screenshots of Daskalakis' Instagram account are still available online, and some of the photos dating back to 2012 showed him and friends using a Ouija board. The screenshots also showed a photo of a figure of Jesus on a pentagram. When users looked at the list of people he followed when his account was still public, they found that he was following @satanitemple.tv, a profile that features films for The Satanic Temple’s streaming platform. Though Daskalakis' photos are no longer accessible, The National Pulse has archived some of his content. 

He Owned a Strange Gym with His Husband

Years ago, Sarah LaBier, Daskalakis, and his husband started “Monster Cycle,” a Satanic-themed cycling class in Manhattan. The studio was adorned with an 11-foot-tall pentagram, and the room displayed graffiti, ghosts, and skull decorations. When the interviewer asked co-founder Sarah about her beliefs, she said, “We don’t worship the devil, we’re not Satan followers. We’re just sort of taking that energy and making it more positive.” The Facebook account for Monster Cycle is still public, and there is a photo from 2014 of Demetre cycling with the caption, “We’ll steal your soul.” 

Daskalakis has not yet confirmed his beliefs, and according to "fact checkers," there’s no proof that he’s a practicing Satanist. Whatever the case may be, Daskalakis sure does have a strong affinity for Satanic symbolism.

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