Ivan Massow: Gay men may not realise it, but they are Tory

[Martinus]

Ivan Massow: Gay men may not realise it, but they are Tory

Gay men tend to be Tory-leaning in their political beliefs without even realising it, London mayoral candidate Ivan Massow has claimed.

Speaking to Attitude magazine, the gay businessman said that gay men have historically been "obliged" to "stand on the left and throw rocks at the right."

Mr Massow was first attracted to the politics of the Conservative Party when he was a boy. He joined his local Young Conservatives and at age 14 became its chairman, the youngest in the country at the time.

Asked whether he faced criticism from the LGBT community for being a prominent Conservative supporter during the 1980s under Margaret Thatcher's premiership, Mr Massow told journalist Paris Lees: "Look, I don't want to bring out a violin, but the lack of support from the gay community at that time, because I attended a conference with Margaret Thatcher for example, really brought me down, because I couldn't tell people what I was trying to achieve.

"And I had a very specific objective. Because I saw the politics of sexuality at the time being very much a case of them and us.

"So we were expected to join the left side, even though we might be quite entrepreneurial and want to own our own houses and believe in small government, and all the things I personally – and especially gay men – tend to be.

"Gay males don't realise it, but when you start to dissemble, and ask them the questions that are multiple choice, they're Tory. But you were obliged to stand on the left and throw rocks at the right. Almost as if they enjoyed it. It was like a class hatred thing and I didn't see that as being productive."

Mr Massow attracted controversy last year when he complained that today's gay scene seems "obsessed" with drugs and sex, resulting in an empty world of hedonism.

He revealed in November that he would seek the Conservative nomination to succeed Boris Johnson as Mayor of London in 2016.

I gotta say he is not that far off. Rabid homophobia is what put many gays off various conservative parties - but other than that gays really do not care for many left wing positions, from reproductive rights, to economy or immigration.

[CountDeMoney]

Funny how it goes the other way as well; I used to be a much more unapologetic supporter of the liberal gay agenda until Martinus and garbon came along.  Between those two, they'll set you back 50 years hating on fags.  At least rufweed is cool, or it'd be a total loss.

[Sheilbh]

I hate him

[garbon]

[Eddie Teach]

The Left would still be the fashionable choice, even if gay issues were taken off the table.

[Gups]

Is he suggesting that there's a gay gene that makes you more conservative than the general population?

[garbon]

Is he suggesting that there's a gay gene that makes you more conservative than the general population?

I think he is trying to do something with the gay identity sort of superseding and describing for at least a majority of us, how our politics should be. Ridiculous but whatever it was an interview with Attitude magazine.

[garbon]

but other than that gays really do not care for many left wing positions, from reproductive rights, to economy or immigration.

Are gay men out on an island such that none of those items have an effect on them or anyone they care about? And gays have no personal stake in left wing ideas on the economy or immigration?

[Martinus]

Is he suggesting that there's a gay gene that makes you more conservative than the general population?

No. 

[Admiral Yi]

He seems to be suggesting that because gays earn good money and don't have kids they are inclined to low taxation and low services.

[Martinus]

but other than that gays really do not care for many left wing positions, from reproductive rights, to economy or immigration.

Are gay men out on an island such that none of those items have an effect on them or anyone they care about? And gays have no personal stake in left wing ideas on the economy or immigration?

It's not just that. While reproductive rights are largely indifferent to gays personally, they do tend to have more disposable income and are less likely to have kids - so they are more likely to support lower taxes rather than higher taxes, with tax breaks/social welfare designated to help single mothers and the like; and on immigration, at least in Europe, they are likely to have legitimate concerns about immigration from Muslim countries and other countries likely to bring in homophobic immigrants.

[garbon]

He seems to be suggesting that because gays earn good money and don't have kids they are inclined to low taxation and low services.

Which is odd because I believe most metrics show that gay men typically earn less than their counterparts.

Odd on the good money not that they don't have disposable income.

[Admiral Yi]

Which is odd because I believe most metrics show that gay men typically earn less than their counterparts.

Odd on the good money not that they don't have disposable income.

I think it depends what you mean by counterpart.

[Martinus]

He seems to be suggesting that because gays earn good money and don't have kids they are inclined to low taxation and low services.

Yup. And as homosexuality becomes more accepted, the need for anti-discrimination laws (another leftist position) is reduced. And ultimately, once you get rid of the social stigma associated with homosexuality, openly gay men living a gay lifestyle in a country like Britain become, overwhelmingly, just another subset of "white men" - so they have more in common with tories who represent "white men" interests.

[Martinus]

He seems to be suggesting that because gays earn good money and don't have kids they are inclined to low taxation and low services.

Which is odd because I believe most metrics show that gay men typically earn less than their counterparts.

Odd on the good money not that they don't have disposable income.

They may earn less money in absolute terms (although that is debatable and, as we have discussed in the past, may have more to do with lower willingness to put up with a crappy job than a dad with stay-at-home wife, 2+ kids and a mortgage) but probably have more disposable income.