Get On, Get Off... Get Out!

International News, By gnosis, 19th August, 2008

“Get On, Get Off” is the gay hook-up website Manhunt.net’s slogan but could it soon become “Vote McCain”?

Politics have entered the bedroom as gay blogs around the world went into uproar over news that Manhunt board chairman Jonathan Crutchley donated the maximum allowed $2,300 (USD) to the campaign of US Republican Presidential candidate John McCain.

Defending his donation, Crutchley said “I believe McCain will be a better commander in chief than Obama, who also opposes gay marriage. If we have an experienced, seasoned person defending the country in this dangerous age, we will be able to argue about the gay agenda later.”

Following outrage from Manhunt members that led to several cancelled subscriptions, Crutchley was asked to resign from the board. Larry Basile, co-founder of Manhunt and Crutchley’s partner, said he was “embarrassed” by his partner’s donation and explained that McCain’s stance on same-sex marriage and adoption contrasted that of the website’s. “Politically, it was just off-base with the whole feeling over here at Manhunt.”

With the McCain camp stating intentions to return the donation, Basile says Crutchley has had a change of heart and is now committed to making the donation to Democratic nominee Barack Obama, “Someone had a reality check.”

However, given expected outrages from the Bible-bashers over the nature of the site’s content, Basile is also expecting the Obama campaign to return the donation.

“Barack can’t endorse this kind of adult content. It’s sort of like a third rail,” Basile said. “I would imagine if it’s tough for one, it’s tough for the other.”

While many in the GBLTI community in America tend to be aligned with the Democrats, Gay Republicans, or “Log Cabin Republicans” are not unheard of. Desperate Housewives creator Marc Cherry was awarded the American Visibility Award by the Log Cabin Republicans in 2006.