Joe Biden started his spiel at Thursday’s Democratic presidential town hall on LGBTQ issues with a disclaimer. All the candidates support LGBTQ rights, Biden warned, so there wouldn’t be much space between their positions. Any difference between the candidates, he said, would be in their “degree of emotional concern.”

To prove the depth of his own emotional concern for queer people, Biden decided to act like one. He flirted with multiple men, joked that he was about to come out as gay, and at one point, clasped Anderson Cooper on the shoulder and mimed giving him a kiss.

If you weren’t watching the town hall, you probably think I’m joking right now. I assure you, I am not. I expected Biden to say some nice things about Title IX, the Equality Act, and hate crimes legislation, then call it a night. I did not expect to see the former vice president try to show off his ally bona fides by telling a well-dressed audience member he looked like he’d “just stepped out of Gentlemen’s Quarterly” as the man stepped up to ask a question about racial health disparities.