Why This Picture of Doug Jones's Son Glaring at Mike Pence Speaks Volumes

After a dramatic election and repeated protests by Republican opponent Roy Moore, on Jan. 3, Doug Jones was sworn in to the Alabama Senate by Vice President Mike Pence. Though otherwise unremarkable, one photograph from the customary ceremony is now going viral for an incredible reason.

The photograph, shown above, depicts Jones taking the oath of office next to his wife, Louise, and son Carson. Though everyone else in the photograph appears neutral or smiling, Carson seems to be glaring at the vice president. As the moment went viral, many began speculating about the reason for Carson's death stare.

Carson is openly gay and came out during his senior year of high school. The 22-year-old zookeeper told Into that he came out to his parents by writing his feelings in a blog post and then texting the post to his mother. Carson said his parents have "always been really supportive." Following the 2016 election, Carson said, he's felt "really scared and really afraid" for himself and LGBTQ+ people.

As it turns out, the expression toward Pence was entirely purposeful. On Instagram, Carson shared the same exact photograph and added the hashtag #NoCaptionNeeded. Carson's post has since received over 11,000 "likes" and hundreds of comments.