Trump, first lady pose with gay RI Teacher of the Year holding lace fan

Credit: Chip Somodevilla

Credit: Chip Somodevilla

A memorable photo of President Donald Trump and first lady Melania in the Oval Office with the Rhode Island Teacher of the Year is raising an eyebrow or two.

That’s because Nikos Giannopoulos, an openly gay teacher, struck a slightly cocky pose while holding a black lace fan, wearing a rainbow LGBTQ pin, a ring through his nose and a gold anchor around his neck for the photo last week.

Giannopoulos, 29, posted the picture on Facebook with the caption, "Rhode Island Teacher of the Year 2017 meets the 45th President of the United States." He also added three rainbow emojis.

Rhode Island Teacher of the Year 2017 meets the 45th President of the United States. That's all. 🌈🌈🌈 Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead

Posted by Nikos Giannopoulos on Thursday, June 15, 2017

The headlines from the media coverage of the photo ranged from, “With flair, gay R.I. Teacher of the Year meets Trump,” “Rhode Island’s ‘sassy’ Teacher of the Year posed next to Trump with a black lace fan – and Trump loved it,” to “A teacher’s decision to be ’visibly queer’ in his photo with Trump.”

In an interview with the Washington Post, Giannopoulos said his attire for his White House visit was essentially the same style he wore in his classroom, "with a little bit of flair."

"The issue with being openly queer is our existence is constantly politicized," he told the Post. "They never stop to think: 'Oh, maybe that's just who I am.'"

Giannopoulos is a special education teacher at Beacon Charter High School for the Arts in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, and it was his work with the school's gay-straight alliance that helped him win the Teacher of the Year award, according to the Providence Journal.

The photo he posted to Facebook has been “liked” and shared thousands of times since Friday.

When Nikos Giannopoulos asked Trump if he could pose with the fan, Trump said to "go for it."

Posted by Business Insider on Saturday, June 17, 2017

Nikos Giannopoulos, Rhode Island's 2017 Teacher of the Year, showing to LGBT pride in a photo with President Donald...

Posted by BuzzFeed News on Saturday, June 17, 2017

Rhode Island's Teacher of the Year Nikos Giannopoulos received an outpouring of praise after displaying his LGBTQ pride with a rainbow pin during a White House photo-op with President Trump.

Posted by The Hill on Friday, June 16, 2017

"When it came time for the photo, I just asked the president, 'Do you mind if I use the fan for the photo?' He said, '...

Posted by NPR on Friday, June 16, 2017

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