Ivan Massow: Coming out as a Tory was harder than coming out as gay
Conservative mayoral hopeful Ivan Massow has said it was harder to come out as a Tory than to come out as gay.
Mr Massow is an openly gay businessman who first rose to prominence in the 1990s, when he began offering financial services and insurance specially catered to gay people.
He revealed in November that he would seek the Conservative nomination to succeed Boris Johnson as Mayor of London next year – and officially launched his campaign earlier this month.
Speaking to the Telegraph, he said that it was harder for him to come out as a Tory than to come out as gay.
He said: “It’s always been a real problem for me because of the stigma it’s carried
“It’s true! At the beginning of speeches I effectively have to apologise for being Conservative. Harder than coming out as gay was coming out as a Conservative.”
The Conservative hopeful hit out at PinkNews last week – for reporting that his campaign launch video featured a picture of himself on a £100,000 note to represent ‘business’.
Mr Massow said that PinkNews was “freeze-framing this clip and suggesting that it’s my campaign message” by reporting on the goof.
He previously claimed gay men were often conservative without realising it, saying: “Gay males don’t realise it, but when you start to dissemble, and ask them the questions that are multiple choice, they’re Tory.”
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.
