It is possible to be homosexual and to support the Tories

When I was growing up gay, in the north, it was tough. The stigma attached to homosexuality was intense. In fact, I thought I would never be able to muster the strength to be open about who I was. I pictured a future of lonely obscurity; or perhaps a sham marriage with some unsuspecting girl, who would accept my ‘eccentricity’ as being a part of who I was. The idea that I might one day be open about my sexuality would have seemed a ridiculous proposition. In my school there was nothing worse than being called gay; except, perhaps, being open about it.

Which is why Section 28 (the ban on the promotion of homosexuality in schools) brought in under the Tories was particularly insidious; because it re-enforced the stigma and homophobia that remains endemic in schools in modern Britain. It is also the reason why, when I tell my gay friends that I will be voting Tory at the next General Election, their reactions are a mixture of anger and confusion. Indeed, from my perspective, it feels like a new ‘coming out’ experience. In Britain, among the chattering classes, there is nothing worse than being a Tory. In fact, where I would once worry about suppressing any hint of femininity in my body language, I now politely nod my head in political conversations to avoid the social death that would occur if I were to be open about my Conservatism.

This tendency is reflected in modern polling. In the 1992 election, for instance, the Tories were predicted to lose to Labour by a narrow 1% margin. However, the polling companies had not accounted for the fact that there were a group of voters called ‘shy Tories’ who felt too ashamed to admit that they would vote for another five years of Tory rule, but went ahead and did it anyway. The end result? A 7.6% Conservative lead over Labour: and the frightfully dull five years of John Major at the helm.

But none of this addresses that pertinent question: of why I, as a gay man, would vote against a Labour government that has an unambiguously brilliant record on gay rights. In the last thirteen years Labour have abolished section 28, legalised Civil Partnerships, equalised the age of consent for gay men and made it possible for homosexuals to adopt (this list is far from exhaustive). The Liberal Democrats have gone further, promising to cede marriage equality, the right to give blood and to admit asylum seekers who are fleeing persecution due to sexual orientation.

The argument from my fellow homosexuals is that I should follow the feminist mantra that ‘the personal is political’, and that I should therefore burn my metaphorical bra and allow my proclivity to sleep with men to determine whom I should vote for in this election. After all, politicians, of all stripes are after my (so-called) ‘pink vote’ in this election. The Tories even took over a gay club night in Manchester for a fringe event at this year’s Conference in attempt to show that they have changed.

My own view is that politics is deeply personal. However, it seems to me that privileging one part of my identity over everything else would be illogical and morally suspect. At a moment when our country is at war, when we are facing a dire economic situation and when undergraduates are entering this institution with no knowledge of life before the Blair/Brown dynasty: it is high time for us to think seriously about our Democratic duty. After all, politics should be about thinking deeply about the common good of our society, rather than our own sectional interests and it is not my intention in this article to spell out the case for Conservatism, as such.

However, it is clear to me that this election provides us with a clear choice between two radically opposed conceptions of what society is, and should be about. On the one hand, Labour have argued strenuously that inequality is the biggest barrier to social mobility and that a strong, welfare state is required to lift people out of poverty. On the other hand, the Conservatives, under Cameron, argue that this idea has been tested to destruction and that simply throwing money at the problem does not affect the real causes of deprivation, which find their roots in family breakdown, poor educational attainment and an erosion of community.

This election may not be won or lost on principle, but it is clear to me that my vote has nothing to do with who I choose to sleep with. It is therefore about time that I came ‘out of the closet’ and shouted loud, and proud: I am a Conservative.