(Crutchley maintains his co-ownership of the site, meaning that subscribers will continue to put money into the pocket of an “evil” Republican in order to fulfill their sexual desires.) However, just how poisonous Crutchley’s politics can be in a gay milieu can be deduced from the speed with which he stepped down from his position as chairman - at “the request of the board,” according to Basile. Manhunt hasn’t revealed how many people canceled their profiles. “I’m a Massachusetts Republican,” he wrote, “which is about the same as being an Alabama Democrat.”īut such nuance is apparently irrelevant to those who equate homosexuality with political liberalism.
And he’s hardly a radical right-winger either.
The fact that Crutchley is a Republican ought not to come as much of a surprise then, especially considering that he’s a self-made millionaire. Bush in the last two presidential elections (the actual number is likely higher, seeing that many gays do not identify themselves as such to pollsters). According to exit polls, about 25% of gays voted for George W. That explanation might not please every gay activist, but it is a feeling shared by many gay people. “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.” “I believe McCain will be a better commander in chief than Obama, who also opposes gay marriage,” Crutchley wrote on a website that covers the online personal ad industry. Rarely do you come across a political candidate who shares each and every one of your political views, and Crutchley’s support for McCain was hardly different from that of any other donor who doesn’t make the perfect the enemy of the good. “Delete your MANHUNT profile!” Michelangelo Signorile, a gay liberal radio host, labeled Crutchley “asinine” simply for supporting McCain. “Let’s show MANHUNT what we in the gay community think of members of our community who support politicians who vote against the interests of the community,” an anonymous commenter wrote. The shaming and condemnation of Crutchley was swift and unforgiving. The article, in passing, referred to Crutchley - who until last week was chairman of the board at Manhunt - as a “liberal Republican.” That tidbit apparently shocked gay blogger Andy Towle, who within seconds found Crutchley’s donation to McCain on a contributor database and posted the news on his website.
He ran into trouble when Out, a gay magazine, published an article about the website in its current issue. A successful real estate developer, he founded Manhunt with his life partner, Larry Basile, in 2001. Manhunt and sites like it have revolutionized one formative aspect of gay culture, taking what was once a public activity to the privacy of one’s home.Įxcept that the Internet, as Jonathan Crutchley recently discovered, isn’t really private. As its name implies, it’s a site where many gay men go to find casual sexual encounters. alone and 400,000 unique visitors a month. It’s one of the most popular gay websites in the world, with 1 million registered members in the U.S. Unless you’re a gay man, that’s to be expected. Two weeks ago, news emerged that the co-founder of the website had contributed $2,300 to the presidential campaign of John McCain.