A political candidate in Australia has placed ads on Grindr to secure support from the gay community.
Stephen Bates, 29, is standing for the Greens in federal elections in Brisbane. He’s looking to unseat the incumbent, Trevor Evans, 40, of the center-right Liberal National Party. According to ABC, Bates is in with a “fighting chance” after the Greens doubled the number of votes they received in the last election held in the district.
Both Bates and Evans are gay men. Bates says he’s turned to Grindr as he wants the LGBTQ community to know they have a choice. Evans has also unimpressed some by previously voting in favor of Australia’s controversial Religious Discrimination Bill.
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Bates has placed four adverts to rotate on Grindr, and they use humor to get his message across.
One says “Put Stephen Bates on top this election.”
Another says, “The best parliaments are hung,” while a third promises, “You always come first with the Greens.”
The reference to “hung parliament” echoes Bates’ view that the Greens worked successfully and effectively with Labor under Julia Gillard between 2010 and 2013.
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Bates, who works in retail, told Pedestrian, “I’m gay myself and I know Grindr itself plays a huge role in the queer community, if it’s for relationships or just meeting other people who are like you and knowing that there’s other people like you out there,” he said.
“As weird as it will sound to any gay person [hearing] this, it is a big place of community where a lot of people do come together.”
Bates says Brisbane has a higher LGBTQ population than many other areas in Australia and a younger demographic. He thinks the ads will show people that not all politicians take themselves too seriously all the time.
Related: The Internet is thirsting hard over these shirtless pics of South Australia’s new leader
However, when it comes to his politics, Bates is committed and passionate. He’s pushing to improve public healthcare, tackle the climate crisis and cost-of-living issues, and set up a federal independent commission against corruption.
Brisbane goes to the polls on May 21st.
UPDATE 05.31.22
Stephen Bates defeated Liberal-National Party incumbent Trevor Evans with 53.5 per cent of the vote with an 8.4 per cent swing.
BaltoSteve
In relation to the article title, just because you end up on top.. doesn’t make you one. 😀
white-queer-african
LOL.LOL.LOL. So very true @BaltoSteve. But I must confess that with his approach he is surely my kind of politician!
shaniac
Small correction. The Liberal National Party in Australia are not centre right. They left that demographic behind in the mid 90’s. They are now right to far right and shuffling further in that direction every day. These days they’re flirting with cartoon supervillainy and consider anything left of hunting the homeless for sport as communism. The situation is largely the same as it is in America due to Murdoch’s controlling something stupid like 80% of the country’s print media.
BennyTheHill
Too bad Bates is ugly and fat. Good looking politicians usually win.
CityguyUSA
Have you looked at politicians to verify that fact? Who exactly do you find “good looking”?
storm45701
Hunty, you’re a Trump supporter, so you should know ugly and fat. And I’m sure that your own mirror reminds you everyday. Bates is neither.